


The Gaang Takes Ba Sing Se University

by lalalandiki



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bars and Pubs, Binge Drinking, Canon-Typical Violence, Drinking Games, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, Mild Sexual Content, Multi, Partying, Recreational Drug Use, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:48:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 97,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalalandiki/pseuds/lalalandiki
Summary: College shenanigans while Aang completes his training, AU with bending. Kataang endgame!Katara feeling jealous when Aang moves on with On Ji, Suki and Sokka try an open relationship, Iroh runs a campus coffee joint, and the entire Gaang heads to Ember Island for spring break!Uploading from FF!
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Aang/On Ji (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	1. Midterms

**Author's Note:**

> I have been searching for a college AU that felt realistic to my experience but haven’t found one, so I decided I would do one myself! In this AU, we’re going to jump right in - most everyone is already in the friend group. In typical college fashion, very few people actually care that Aang is the Avatar so he gets to have a relatively normal college life besides his training schedule. I’ve decided to generally explain very little because I don’t want to world build my AU too much. Lmk if there’s something you feel like we need to know. For the purposes of the story, they are all juniors.You’ll see various characters float in from the series as we go along! Without further ado:

Sokka groaned, hoping for some moral support. When only Aang looked up, he groaned again. The Gaang was in their usual spot in the library, a first-floor long table surrounded by whiteboards.

"We all have midterms, Sokka," chided Katara, not looking up from her relentless highlighting. "If you want sympathy, go get tea."

Sokka pushed out his chair dramatically, as though proving a point, and slowly sauntered off to the Jasmine Dragon. The Jasmine Dragon was a Ba Sing Se University staple. Right on the third floor, it served the stressed-out students who found themselves at the library throughout the semester. It was complete with an empathetic shoulder to cry on: Iroh, its proprietor. He was well known among the students for sneaking free cookies to those who looked particularly worn down. On the few days he took off, one of his friends often took over.

Sokka collapsed on the counter.

"Something the matter, Sokka?" Iroh chuckled and sipped his tea. He leaned back to call Sokka's order to the back. "Sokka's usual, Nephew!"

Iroh's nephew poked his head out, scowling as always. "Why would I know Sean's usual?"

"It's mint tea for _Sokka_ , Zuko. Always treat your customers like family!"

Zuko muttered to himself but went on to make Sokka's tea. Sokka thanked Iroh, handing him his card. "Midterms, the usual. This paper I've got is really kicking my ass."

"One day you will look back on this time and wish you had put more love and effort into your assignments." Iroh slid a cookie towards Sokka. "But for now, just do what you can."

Zuko put the mint tea on the counter, calling for "Sean" as he turned on his heel and retreated into the back room.

"Thanks for the tea and advice, Iroh. Econ paper calls." Iroh waved him off and Sokka hopped down the steps towards the first floor, already feeling a little less stressed.

Sokka walked back on the group just as Toph took off her headphones. "Well, it's official. This will be a 24 hour libs night."

"Same here." Aang clicked his pen on his head on and off until Katara grabbed it out of his hands.

Katara sighed. "Me too. I call the couch on 5th first!"

Sokka sat down, glum. "I don't even think I'll have time for a couch nap. Who knew Professor Zhao would be like this?"

A chorus of "We all knew, Sokka" from all of the group came, eliciting another groan from Sokka. Katara left for a brief powernap before returning, determined to beat the new vocabulary into her mind. Settling back in, they spent the next few hours in their notes and laptops. Always busy during midterm season, the library's patrons slowly began to trickle out, and the nighttime group started claiming their spots.

"Hey, Aang!" A girl walking in with her friend waved, a textbook in hand.

In their typical fashion, Toph and Sokka made faces at Aang. He ignored it, waving back with his usual smile. "So who is that, Aang?"

He rolled his eyes at them. "That's On Ji, we have Extremism in the Fire Nation together." He looked back at his paper, rubbing his eyes. "Actually, I'm glad she's here. I have no idea how to answer this problem set."

Aang airbent himself out of his seat and walked over to the table where the two girls were sitting.

"C'mon buddy, you got this!" Sokka cheered quietly from their table, mostly to Toph. Katara was focused entirely on her developmental bio textbook, trying to drill the differences between Wnt11, Dsh, and GBP into her exhausted brain.

Toph started laughing. "Narrate for me, narrate. I can feel her heart beating."

Katara turned up her music, trying to focus. _Okay, Katara. Wnt activates Dsh and GBP, which inhibits beta-catenin in-_

Toph and Sokka's laughter came over her music. A little violently, she ripped out her headphones and turned to see what was going on. Somehow their conversation had gone from the problem set to Aang showing On Ji and her friend how to do the dance he'd learned from the Earth King.

"She's eating that up! I knew Twinkle Toes had moves but I did not expect this at 4am."

Sokka looked at Katara, still laughing. "Aww sis, feeling a little jealous?"

Katara put her headphones back on, rolling her eyes. Sokka was so annoying. She snuck a glance back at Aang, though. On Ji was laughing and had her hand on his arm from her seat, their dance having ended. Aang was being his usual, charming self, making both girls like him instantly, at the very least as a friend. She watched as On Ji's friend passed Aang a flask. He happily accepted. On Ji was really pretty. _Focus, Katara_. Katara buried the twinge in her stomach and refocused herself on beta-catenin.

* * *

The hours continued to pass as daylight started peeking into the windows. Katara lifted her head, having fallen asleep on top of her textbook an hour or so before. Aang sat on the floor behind her, meditating. Katara decided it was time to stretch. "What time is your essay due, Sokka?

"8am, aka 20 minutes from now."

Katara moved into downward dog, deciding to leave him alone. "Good luck with that." Her own exam was at 9am, but she felt prepared already. Just needed to go over her notes a few more times. Knowing the Jasmine Dragon just opened for breakfast, she decided to treat the group to some pastries.

As she approached, she could hear an argument. Katara froze, not wanting to intrude.

"Zuko, you are a young man, you should spend time with people your own age," she heard Iroh plead.

"You need the help and I don't mind, Uncle! I get my work done here and I can watch pro-bending when there aren't custo-" Zuko walked out to face an uncomfortable Katara. He blushed but seemed frustrated more than anything. "Uncle, we have a customer."

Iroh walked out with a smile. "Good morning Katara. Please don't tell me you were here the whole night. It's not healthy. I was just telling Zuko to get a life, you need one too!"

Katara and Zuko both flushed, suddenly extra aware of each other's presence. "I did, unfortunately. But it will be over after today." She looked down. "If you want, Zuko, you can hang out with us tonight. We're going to watch the pro-bending match and relax."

Iroh moved faster than she had ever seen in front of Zuko. "Yes! He will go. What time?"

Zuko groaned. "It's really okay-"

"No, come. It's weird that none of us know you when we know Iroh so well." She handed him her phone. "I'll text you the address and time when we figure it out later. Thanks for the breakfast, Iroh."

Katara walked back to her friends, not wanting to reveal she had invited Iroh's weird nephew to their hang out later. It wasn't that he had done anything strange in front of them, but Katara had never seen him anywhere else except behind the counter with Iroh. He didn't go to any parties or bars that they did, nor did anyone in the group even know what he majored in. She sighed and organized the pastries in her hand.

"DONE!" Sokka yelled, making Aang jump out of his meditation with a start.

Aang took the pastry that Katara handed him with a smile. "Thanks, Katara." He gathered his things. "I should head to my exam, pro-bending at our place later right?"

Sokka nodded, already falling asleep. "Aang we have training at 11, too," Katara reminded him. He sighed but waved goodbye. Aang walked over to a dazed On Ji, and off they went to their exam. Katara munched on her apple tart, inexplicably feeling annoyed.

* * *

"I hope I never have to hear the word "Fire Nation" again." On Ji whined, clutching the straps of her backpack. They walked through the quad after a particularly grueling exam. Aang looked up and saw a few birds fly overhead.

Aang laughed at the absurdity. "On Ji, you're literally from the Fire Nation."

She glared back at him pointedly. "Don't remind me. I'm just glad that the exam is over so I can sleep for the rest of today."

"I'm so jealous. I have to train with Katara in a bit."

A weird expression flickered on On Ji's face, too quick for Aang to understand but long enough for him to notice. "Katara?"

"Oh, yeah. She's my waterbending Sifu now that I'm here instead of with Master Pakku in the South Pole. It's about practice and honing skills now. And she's one of my best friends."

On Ji nodded. "Ah, Avatar crap." She waved to a passing friend.

He quirked up his eyebrow. "I mean if you call a sacred tradition going back thousands of years to maintain balance in the world 'Avatar Crap...'"

They looked at each other seriously, but Aang cracked first, leaning against the half wall in front of On Ji's sorority house to support his laughing. When they settled, she smiled. "It was fun studying with you, Aang. We should do it for our next exam too. Here," she said, holding out her phone. "Put your number in."

Aang complied, handing it back. "I should run, can't keep Sifu Katara waiting. I'll see you in class, yeah?" She nodded, smiling, as Aang opened up his glider and airbent himself up, flying away into the clouds.

* * *

"Suki, please, that isn't how I meant it." Sokka followed Suki out of her room and into the kitchen, where she angrily started making a smoothie.

"Oh yeah? Then how did you mean it?" She opened a bag of frozen bananas, ignoring the ones that flew on the floor because of her shaking hands.

Sokka leaned down, trying to get into her line of sight. "I just don't think we should limit oursel-" Suki turned on the blender, staring at Sokka. She stopped, looking in to see if it was the consistency she liked.

"We shouldn't limit ourselves when we're so youn-"

Suki started the blender again, not wanting to hear anything that was coming out of Sokka's mouth. After a few months of seeing each other, Suki had asked what had been nagging her for weeks: what were they? She knew that hooking up with her roommate's brother would be messy, but she thought he was a relationship kind of guy. After all, he had dated Yue for almost 2 years.

"Suki! Enough, stop that." Sokka stopped the blender and grabbed her hands. "Suki, please." He could see the tears starting to well in her eyes. "Suki, I want to be with you. But we're in college. We should be out having fun. And honestly, after my relationship with Yue, I think it's better this way." He tilted her head up. "I want you, I promise. I just don't think we should rush with labels."

Her expression changed quickly. "Rush? We've been sleeping together for months now, Sokka. We spend almost every day together!"

"Exactly! And that doesn't have to change. Why don't we just leave it where it is? I just...I don't want to put so much pressure on us." He pulled her in for a kiss that made her stomach drop, his hands cupping her cheeks. "Look, I don't want to lose you, I want the best for both of us. Let's try it. We can always reevaluate."

"Try non-monogamy?" She scrunched her lips together, considering.

He hesitantly smiled at her. "Try not overthinking us."

Suki looked into Sokka's eyes. While she just wanted to put a label on their relationship already, she didn't have the energy to fight anymore. And though she didn't want to admit it to herself, she didn't want to be without him, even if it meant being open in their relationship. "Okay. We'll try it." Suki smirked, an idea coming to mind. "But you're going to have to pay for it."

Sokka went to kiss her again but she turned her head so he landed on her cheek. Suki smirked and tapped her neck with a finger.

Sokka sighed, happy nonetheless. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Katara idly played with the water on her fingertips, her chin tucked on her knees. She pulled it up and down to meet the palm of her hand. She'd been waiting for Aang for 20 minutes. She checked her phone, nothing. She had rushed through her exam a little bit to be here on time, and one question about HOX genes was bothering her. Was it the first or the second answer? She wasn't looking forward to her grade.

When Aang's glider appeared over their usual practice lake, Katara turned the water on her fingertips into sharp ice.

"You're late, Aang," Katara said without looking up as he landed next to her by the shore. The lake was somewhat secluded in a park, surrounded by trees. While there was a walking trail around it, no one really bothered them. A few turtle ducks scuttled away when he walked in.

Aang twirled his glider to close it. "I know, I'm sorry. I walked On Ji back to her place after our exam. Ready to start?"

Katara's stomach dropped slightly. "Yeah, I'm ready, let's warm-up." The pair got into their stances, passing a stream of water back and forth between them. "So, sounds like you're getting close with On Ji."

Aang shook his head. "Not you too! She's cool but we just have this class together."

She didn't answer, passing the water towards Aang with more force. "Katara?" She didn't meet his eye, feigning focus on the water as if this wasn't second nature. "Does that bother you or something?" Katara looked up. Aang was smirking.

She shook her head. "What? No, of course not. Alright, we're warm. Get into your octopus stance, it was pretty sloppy last time we sparred."

 _Did_ it bother her? She knew Aang was just teasing when in all reality he had been somewhat gracious about what had happened between them. Walking over to adjust his form, she ran her hands over his back to his arms. It felt good to touch him this way, his arms were smooth and strong. He'd always been attractive. She thought he was cute the first time she saw his goofy smile at the Southern Water Tribe.

Their friendship had formed almost instantly. Katara had been annoyed when she heard her training would be interrupted by the Avatar, someone she had assumed would be pompous and irritating. Instead, she was delighted to discover that he was down to earth, and maybe even a little immature at times, but not in a frustrating way. When it turned out they all were going to Ba Sing Se University, and that Aang would even be rooming with her brother, she was determined to ignore any physical attraction she felt for him.

They had partied together, studied together, ran from cops together, had movers nights with disgusting microwaved foods together. If she wasn't with her freshman year roommate Suki, she was with him and Sokka. Everything was comfortable and settled.

So why did her stomach roll the way it did when she saw him around On Ji? It's not like she hadn't seen him with other girls before. Though he hadn't dated anyone very seriously, Aang was charming, at least while drunk. If he was thinking about it, he'd blunder, but if he was just trying to make friends or was a few drinks in, girls were practically falling all over him. Freshman year, he had absolutely taken advantage of that, though not of the women themselves. She's always rolled her eyes when Sokka would get sexiled and have to sit in her room for a while. Then later, she'd rolled her eyes when Aang was sexiled right back and spent the evening in her bed watching Bojack Horseman or something else absurd to take their minds off exams and projects and assignments.

It's not like she'd never thought about it, sleeping with him. Who didn't think about their friends, even for a fleeting moment, what it might be like with people they knew? That's all it had ever really been, a passing thought. When Sokka had met Yue, it became the two of them more often than not, sometimes with Suki as well, and later Toph.

Perhaps this was because Katara had been feeling rather single lately. Sokka and Suki parading around all the time had reminded her that it had been a while since she had dated, or even really casually saw anyone. Yes, that had to be it. It was just jealous that he was getting attention when she wasn't. Plain and simple!

Katara seemed a little distracted to Aang, but he didn't let it bother him. In fact, he was exhausted from the all-nighter and test combo, but Katara was always insistent they train no matter the circumstances. This was giving him a little bit of a break. He let his thoughts drift back to On Ji as they moved through different stances together. While he was often oblivious to girls' advances, he knew their brief study session had been entirely unproductive, so that probably wasn't why she'd asked for his number.

She was pretty, despite the dark circles and red eyes from an all-nighter. He assumed he looked about the same. In class, she had seemed nice, and the library was fun enough.

"Aang!" Katara snapped, pulling him back to attention.

He dropped his stance and rubbed the back of his neck, smiling. "I'm sorry, I'm exhausted. What were you saying?"

Luckily Katara only laughed. "This is useless, we're both exhausted. Want to grab lunch instead?"

He jokingly bowed before her. "Has anyone ever told you that you're the greatest Sifu ever?

She smiled as she bent the water off her skin. "You could say it more often."


	2. Just a Kick Back

Zuko stood nervously at the call box of the apartment. Katara had texted him earlier.

_(Maybe) Katara: Hey! It's Katara. We're meeting at my brother's apartment around 8 for the match. We'll have alc but feel free to bring whatever you want._

She had sent him the address with the callbox info to get into the gate. He knew he just needed to press the buttons to call up, but he was really doubting why he had come in the first place. He didn't know these people and Katara seemed way too cheery for his taste in friends. His uncle had, in all reality forced him. It wasn't that Zuko wasn't social - on the contrary, he had a girlfriend back in the Fire Nation. It was just that being social took so much energy, why not just Facetime Mai or watch pro-bending instead?

"The box doesn't work if you just stare at it." Zuko jumped. A girl with a cloud over her green eyes stood behind him, tapping her foot as if waiting for him.

"I'm sorry, I got distracted." Zuko stepped up to the box and punched in the number Katara had sent him from his phone.

The line rang for a minute until someone picked up. The voice seemed familiar. Sean was it? "Sokka's residence, who may I have the pleasure of speaking to this fine evening?" The person on the other end spoke with fake grandiosity as if he were a Duke of somewhere fancy-sounding.

The girl laughed from behind Zuko. "Shut up, Sokka, and let us in already."

The gate slid open as Sokka grumbled a response at her, cut off by the line ending. Zuko shifted uncomfortably. "You're heading to the same place?"

Toph nodded, beginning to lead the way. "Yep. I'm Toph. You're Iroh's nephew. Zuko, right?" She waved him on to follow her.

"Yeah. Katara invited me."

Toph smirked. She knew _all_ about Katara's invitation. It had not gone over well in the group chat earlier:

_Katara: Soooo I may or may not have invited Iroh's nephew over for later tonight._

_Sokka: You_

_Sokka: Did_

_Sokka: Not_

_Katara: I felt like I had to! I don't think he has a ton of friends and he likes pro-bending._

_Suki: I think it was nice of you_

_Suki: Maybe he won't be too weird?_

_Toph: Won't be weird my ass_

_Toph: He seems grumpy af_

_Suki: And you're such a ray of sunshine?_

_Aang: I'm sure it will be fine. Either we make a new friend or never be able to go to the Jasmine Dragon again_

_Sokka: KATARA_

_Toph: Katara how could you do this to us_

_Suki: True we need the Jasmine Dragon Katara!_

_Katara: OMG we haven't even met him yet!_

Toph climbed up a set of stairs to the apartment and walked in without knocking. "Look guys, I found Sparky outside!"

Zuko stood awkwardly at the door. "Uh, hey. Zuko here."

Sokka looked up, ignored him, and continued making the nachos he'd been preparing. Luckily Aang was more gracious than his roommate and reached out to shake Zuko's hand. He bowed as well, as most Air Nomads did out of habit. "I'm Aang. Glad you made it. Beer?"

Zuko smiled, feeling a little relieved that someone here wasn't going to antagonize him, at least. "Yeah, sure."

Katara burst into the room, entering the room unceremoniously through the front door like Toph. "Okay, they didn't have our usual." The entire room groaned at once, leaving Zuko to look around confused. "Oh, hey Zuko. I was trying to find this rum we liked but Hippo's was all out. I did pick up some tequila though!"

Suki laughed from the couch. "We all know what that means!" She had an animal sleeping peacefully in her lap.

"Tequila Katara!" Sokka and Toph squealed together, causing Katara to shoot them a glare. The weird animal screeched and launched itself into the air and Suki apologized to it.

"Shut up you guys, I don't act any differently when we drink tequila!"

Zuko looked at Aang, who confirmed quietly with a nod that indeed, she does.

The animal jumped up and flew towards Katara. "Oh hi, Momo. I missed you. You won't call me Tequila Katara, will you?" She scratched Momo's head as he chittered in response.

"It's actually good you're here, Zuko," Aang said, taking a sip of his beer. "The game we play is more fun with an even number. Everyone picks a player. Take a sip every time your player gets knocked back a space, drink every time the announcer says "folks," and a shot every time your player gets knocked off the platform."

Those rules went mostly over Zuko's head but he nodded and opened the beer in his hand.

Aang smiled and looked up at Katara, who was unpacking the bags she had brought back. "I'm going to help Katara with the margs."

He hopped up and started taking out the other ingredients for her. He slipped past Katara with a hand on her back. She grinned up at him as they worked like a well-oiled machine to mix and distribute the drinks.

Zuko leaned over to Toph, who was leaning on the couch arm from the floor. "Are Aang and Katara together?"

Toph burst out laughing. "No they aren't, but they probably should be. Their heartbeats are always crazy around each other."

"Heartbeats?" Zuko flushed, he hadn't meant to say something wrong. Maybe asking Toph for insider info on the group wasn't the best move.

"I can feel heartbeats with my earthbending. Like right now I can feel yours picking up." Zuko's heart skipped a beat and Toph laughed again. "Don't worry, Sparky. Nobody hates you yet."

Aang and Katara handed out the drinks and took their places on the couch. Zuko took one whiff of his and knew they had made them incredibly strong. As the first match came on Sokka and Katara immediately yelled their picks, clearly more competitive than the others. They yelled sip, drink, or shot either for everyone or at the person who had to do it. Suki, in particular, seemed to take a lot of pleasure in telling Sokka to drink, which he did begrudgingly each time.

Slowly, over the next couple of hours, Zuko started to relax. Though he had no real way of knowing, the rest of the group was liking him too. He was quiet, maybe a little grumpy, but he could be funny, too. He still felt like a fish out of water with the group who had clearly been friends for a while, but their antics were starting to grow on him. The alcohol was helping quite a bit, too. This drinking game had clearly been designed with blackouts in mind. Though Zuko didn't drink all that often, this was absolutely something he could get behind. That being said, he was drained. As the final match ended, Zuko started to prepare a way to leave.

Katara jumped up before he could come up with a good excise. "Let's go to Jun's!" She started jumping up and down, pulling at Aang and Zuko's hands. "Jun's! Jun's! Jun's!"

"And here we go, Tequila Katara." Toph started to stand, getting her things together.

Katara pouted, deflated. "I am _not_ Tequila Katara. You're not being nice, Toph."

"Keep that up Sugar Queen and I won't come with you to Jun's!"

"Yay!" Katara immediately began smiling and again and turned to the rest of the group. "Pleaaase?"

Aang laughed. "You know I can never say no to Tequila Katara. I'm in. Zuko, want to come? I don't think I've ever seen you at Jun's actually."

Zuko grimaced. "Yeah I went once freshman year, haven't really gone since. It's not my scene."

Tequila Katara turned on her heel, "WHAT? There's something for everyone at Jun's. You have to come."

"I don't know…"

Katara pulled Zuko to his feet, almost falling backward in the process. "Come on! You turned out to be nice and not weird so you should come."

Confused, Zuko relented. "Thanks, I think? I guess I'll come. No promises that I'll stay very long though."

Suki yawned. "I don't think I'm up for it. I'll probably just head back to our place for the night. Coming with, Sokka?" She looked up at him a little expectantly, secretly hoping he'd choose to stay with her.

Sokka thought for a moment, looking between Katara and Suki. "I think I should go with them and make sure Tequila Katara doesn't get too out of hand."

Katara thought she saw Suki make a disappointed face, but a new song came on and distracted her entirely. She started dancing by herself, grabbing Aang's hand and spinning herself under his arm before dancing backward again.

Zuko started cleaning up a bit, not sure what else to do, until Sokka stopped him. "Don't worry about that buddy. I can bully Katara into doing it tomorrow."

"I can call an Uber?" Everyone laughed except for Zuko. He blushed furiously. What was with these people? Somehow they almost made him feel like _he_ was the crazy one. "Isn't it kind of far away?"

Aang clasped a hand on his shoulder. "It is Zuko, but don't worry. With this group, you won't need to call an Uber. Suki, we'll drop you off on the way?" Aang leaned out the front door and blew into a whistle.

Zuko looked at him confused. "I'm sorry I must be drunker than I thought. What is happening?"

"I'm calling our ride!" Aang looked out, clearly seeing their ride in the distance. "Alright last call before the Avatar Express arrives."

Katara ran back and forth, making sure everyone was ready and feeling okay. Suddenly she smiled deviously. "Shot for the road?"

Toph cheered. "You know I'm in!"

Aang poured a shot for each of them, pulling out the limes he had cut earlier. "¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro!" Zuko didn't really follow but the end was clear - take the shot. All of them sucked on slices of lime before heading out the door. Neither Sokka nor Aang even bothered locking it, though Zuko wondered if that was more to avoid locking themselves out in their drunkenness.

When he made it outside, he nearly fell over. "When you said ride, I didn't realize you meant a 10-ton bison!" He watched as everyone clambered up. "Does this count as drinking and driving?"

Sokka offered him a hand up. "Appa is doing most of the driving and he's sober, Zuko." He gripped the edge of the saddle once inside.

Aang looked back onto the saddle to see if everyone was in place from his spot on Appa's head. "Does someone have Tequila Katara?"

"I've got her!" Toph grunted as Katara grumbled in protest.

"Ready Appa?" He groaned. "Alright then, yip yip!"

As the shots kicked in, the group watched the stars blur with their vision. Aang let himself lean backward and put his hands behind his head. The monks had taught him to avoid mind-altering substances, but something was almost a little spiritual about the way the lights moved under the influence. Suki was dropped off just a few blocks away at a fancy apartment building. Especially nice for the middle ring, a product of Toph's dad's protectiveness.

Katara suddenly jumped off the saddle to sit with Aang despite Toph's protests. "Take us to Jun's, Appa!" Appa made a noise in response.

Aang wrapped his arm around Katara, making sure to grab her leather belt. Tequila Katara had fallen off of Appa more than once. "Don't worry, Katara. He definitely knows where to take us when you're like this. Isn't that right, buddy?" Appa groaned again, this time very clearly in the affirmative. Aang looked at Katara, who seemed completely mesmerized by the lights below. Her hair was flowing in the air and tickling his neck. While he generally preferred her sober, he loved the way she looked at everything with childlike wonder when they drank.

Appa circled down to Jun's and landed with a grunt. Aang helped the passengers off and patted Appa lovingly. "We'll probably be a while so you can go have fun too." Appa flew off, presumably to see his own friends in the fields where he slept most nights. Unfortunately, most apartment buildings in Ba Sing Se came without bison daycare centers.

Jun's was pretty much the main stop for the students of Ba Sing Se University. With cheap drinks, free popcorn, and a no BS owner, it ended up becoming a crowd favorite soon after opening. Usually, the main crowd showed up after the first or second place they had gone that night. It was a safe place with university students and staff that they got to know intimately over the years.

Toph and Aang headed straight for the bar, beckoning Zuko to join while Sokka guided Katara towards an open booth so she would sit down.

Aang leaned his elbows on the bar, ignoring their stickiness, while Toph hoisted herself into a barstool and leaned back, waiting for the bartender to get to them.

Aang felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around it was On Ji. "Hey Aang!"

His thoughts from the previous day had been confirmed. She did look prettier when she got sleep. Behind him, Aang could hear Toph ordering a fruity drink for him and he shook his head at her. "On Ji, hey. I feel like we've been running into each other like crazy lately."

On Ji nodded. "It's so weird! Oh, and I've been practicing those dance moves you showed me!"

He laughed. "I can't imagine my 4am lesson took very well." Toph handed him the drink and pulled Zuko away from him and On Ji, knowing where this was going. The pull he had with women was truly hilarious to her, but she would never get in the way of him making moves.

"Well... maybe you're a better teacher than you think! Come on." On Ji grabbed Aang and pulled him towards the dance floor. He started chugging his drink.

Toph and Zuko joined Katara and Sokka at their booth where they all chatted excitedly, looking around to see who had shown up that night. Katara and Sokka, in particular, were huge gossips. They pointed out the different sorority girls and who was hooking up with who, whispering in each other's ears. Sokka made Katara cackle when she was drunk. Sober, she was way less interested in his jokes.

Jun strolled up to their table, smiling. "Why isn't it my favorite, Team Avatar. And a new face?" After spending many late nights at Jun's, the group had come to know her well. Though she was older than them, they were generally easy customers and helped if things got out of hand with rowdy students.

"This is Zuko," Sokka yelled over the music. "He's Iroh's nephew!"

"Really? You're the nephew I keep hearing about. Nice to meet you, I'm Jun."

Zuko was surprised like he had been most of this evening. "You know my uncle?"

"I know pretty much everyone in the Middle Ring, of course I know Iroh." There was a sudden wave of voices that reached them and Jun looked up behind the booth. "Looks like I have a fight to break up. I'll send over some shots. See ya." Jun walked off to wrestle some boys off each other. She did it quite quickly and effectively despite her small stature.

Shots magically appeared on the table in front of them just a few minutes later. They were neon in color and tasted like absolute garbage. This latest round made all of their heads spin even while sitting, so at least they had done their jobs. Katara smiled. "Let's go dance?"

They all agreed, Zuko and Toph somewhat reluctantly. Sokka yelled all of a sudden, running forward. "THERE'S MY FAVORITE LITTLE!" He attacked a kid in the crowd, nearly knocking him over.

With Sokka gone in a wave of people, Katara tried to get Toph and Zuko moving. She danced around them and held their hands, encouraging them both. While they swayed to the music, she wasn't very successful. "Ugh, you two are the worst. Where's Aang when you need him? Wait, where is Aang actually?" Katara realized she'd forgotten an entire friend in her drunken haze. Normally, he was the one she danced with. He always made it easy and never made her feel self-conscious. Plus, he was a great cover to keep other guys away from her when she just wanted to dance without being bothered.

She looked around, trying to spot him in the crowd. It really shouldn't be so hard to spot the blue arrows, but the flashing lights made it nearly impossible. The bar was really filling up now that it had hit 1am. Wait - was that him? Toph grabbed her arm abruptly, her eyes wide. "Uh, Katara, I think he said he was by the karaoke." Toph started pulling her in the opposite direction, back towards where they came.

"What? No, I swear I saw him over there earlier. What are you doing, Toph?"

"I'm just helping you find Aang!" Toph pulled on her harder now, but Tequila Katara was deceptively strong, and stood her ground.

"Stop it, Toph, I swear I just saw his arr- oh." Toph stopped pulling on Katara, knowing her efforts were in vain. "Is that…?"

"On Ji, yeah."

Katara felt frozen in place as she watched Aang kiss On Ji, her back up against the wall and arms around his neck. One hand was in her hair and the other around her waist, both pulling her closer against him. She could practically see their tongues wrestling from across the room.

Toph put her hand on Katara's shoulder. "Come on, Sweetness. Let's get out of here, maybe hit up that burger place you like, I'll text my driver."

Katara nodded slowly, still unable to take her eyes away. "Yeah, let's go. I think I had a little too much to drink."


	3. Past and Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Combined two chapters here, so it will look a bit different than it originally did on FF but the content is the same.

**A/N: PSA for this chapter, I'm not blind but I am disabled. I wrote partly from my own experience and mixed in things Toph has said (mainly because I never really had anyone fussing over me, just denying or forgetting there was a real physical issue going on). Please let me know if there is anything in here that I portrayed inappropriately and I'll be happy to adjust.**

When the door opened to his apartment, Sokka was ready. " _Where_ have you been, young man? You scared your mother and me half to death I tell you!"

Aang rolled his eyes as he dropped his keys, already taking off some of his clothes from the night before. "Relax, dad."

"So, were you at least safe, son? Use proper protection?"

Aang flopped down on the couch, rubbing his forehead. "It wasn't like that. We were both too drunk. Just postmated some food and crashed." Sokka continued to look at Aang, hoping to get more of a confession out of him. "She's cool, though."

Sokka leaned back, nursing a small hangover himself. "Well, nice work anyway. After Katara went home with Toph I completely struck out."

Aang laughed. "Of course you did."

"Whoa whoa whoa there Aang. I'm young, attractive, a warrior. Are you saying there is something about me that the ladies don't like?"

"No, I'm saying don't get why you don't date Suki already." Aang flipped on Netflix. "She's great and you're both super into each other, so what's the big deal?"

Sokka was feeling even more defensive with that last comment. It seemed like no one approved of his plan to keep labels off things. It really wasn't so out there. "Oh, I don't know, Aang. Why don't you date my sister already?" He knew his words cut when Aang looked up at him in a pained way and regretted them.

"You know why Sokka." Aang turned off Golden Girls and changed it to Bojack Horseman, his mood soured. He pretended to fall into the pool with Bojack, it seemed comforting.

Aang _had_ tried to be with Katara, and it had gone disastrously. They had all gone to see a terrible student production. Aang, ever the optimist, was able to take one positive from _Love Amongst the Dragons_ : he needed to be brave and take a shot. So he had tried to broach the subject of him and Katara becoming an "us." He'd confessed that he'd practically fell in love at first sight, that she was his best friend, and that maybe they should be together. When she hesitated, he kissed her.

Thinking about the kiss made him feel queasy even months later. When his lips touched hers, he instantly felt it was right. In that moment it was like all the chakras, planets, and universe had aligned into the proper position. Aang went from feeling high to feeling crushed in a matter of a few seconds when Katara pulled back, a shocked look on her face. He backed away immediately, mumbling an apology and "we can pretend this never happened" as he ran from the theater.

Sokka clasped his shoulder, snapping Aang out of his memories. "I'm sorry, I'm being a jerk. On Ji sounds nice."

"Yeah, she is."

* * *

A few blocks away, Toph and Suki sat silently in their living room. They were gaping at the man in only his underwear paced back and forth in front of the TV, chatting with someone on Facetime. While the two of them had been enjoying a nice breakfast when he had strolled out, ignoring their confused faces and lightly acknowledged them before starting his call.

Suki leaned over to Toph. "We're in the right apartment...right?"

Toph nodded, dumbfounded. "He's naked, right?"

Suki giggled and decided to text Katara.

_Suki: Come out of your room for a peep show!_

Katara walked out into the living room and stopped short, her face turning redder by the second. "Ruon Jian, what are you doing?"

Ruon Jian was someone that Katara had seen a few times over the past year. It wasn't serious, they just hung out and were friends. He was a little strange but fun to spend time with every once in a while. And as much as she hated to admit it, having someone sleeping next to her made her feel less alone. They ran into him when they grabbed burgers and she realized he was the perfect solution to the nausea she felt looking at Aang and On Ji. Plus, it helped that he was halfway decent in bed.

He looked up from his call, momentarily perturbed, but smiled when he saw Katara. "Oh hey, Kat. I'm attending to some real important business with a buddy."

"Naked? In my living room?" Suki and Toph saw a Katara ready to explode, but Ruon Jian did not seem to notice.

"Oh yeah." He laughed, looking around as if for the first time. "I guess so. We're discussing important plans for Ember Island Weekend."

Toph grabbed Suki's arm, in preparation for the second kind of show they were about to get. But this time, Katara breathed. "Get dressed! Get out of here!"

"Alright I get it, you got things going on." He laughed, still oblivious to Katara's anger and her roommates' laughter. "I'll call an uber."

He walked casually into Katara's room, and Suki and Toph exploded into laughter. "Katara, Ruon Jian again?"

"Suki! He's sweet!" She was fuming, her annoyance now turned on the pair.

Toph cackled. "I know, I know. I can hear you two watching Sex and the City whenever he's here."

A smile started cracking on Katara's face. "He always asks for it...I have no idea why…"

The trio stared at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing, and when Ruon Jian came out it only grew. He joined in, not sure what was going on but excited by the energy in the room. He wore only a white robe, a cowboy hat, and flip-flops. "It's been real ladies. The brothers call." He kissed Katara roughly on the cheek and flashed a smile before heading out the door.

"Katara, what would we do for entertainment around here without you?" Suki smiled brightly.

Katara glowered for a moment and then smiled, a realization hitting her. "That was Tequila Katara, not me! I desperately need a shower." And with that Katara twirled around back towards her bedroom.

Suki grabbed the bowl of milk out of Toph's hands, walking over to the sink and rinsing their breakfasts down the drain. She dropped the dishes down and sighed. "Toph, can I vent for a second?"

"No promises you'll get any sympathy, but sure. Go ahead."

She sat down in a huff across from Toph in the plushy armchair. "Well...I finally agreed to not putting a label on Sokka and me. Last night I stayed in because I thought he would want to stay with me… but he didn't. So he went out and neither you nor Katara know where he ended up. I'm usually more secure in relationships. I usually take charge. I think he and I are more even, I wanted to give a little bit and do this for him. But I think I did the wrong thing."

Toph considered for a moment, her fingers resting on her cheek. "Okay, so you're saying that you don't like this situation because Sokka is potentially getting with other people."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Suki, you're one of the most confident girls I know. Have you ever considered embracing this?"

Suki's brows furrowed. "Isn't that what I've been doing?"

"Not really. Last night you sat here thinking about, Sokka right?"

"Well, yeah."

Toph threw her hands up in the air. "Then stop thinking about it! You should go out too. Don't take him into consideration so much, don't make your plans around him. Go have fun with other guys if you want!"

"I don't know if that's what I want."

"Sure, but it's not like you've tried it out. I'm just saying, maybe take advantage of the situation the best you can. You said you want to try it for him, right? So try it, and maybe even use it to your advantage."

Suki sighed. Toph was definitely the wrong person to go to for advice about this, but maybe she had a point. Maybe she _should_ be embracing it. That's what Sokka had wanted for them anyway, right? Why shouldn't she take advantage of the situation and have some fun if she wanted to?

* * *

Toph was used to people fussing over her. Her entire life up until Ba Sing Se University had been nothing but people fussing over her. One would think that with so many years of it under her belt, it would stop bothering her. But it never got easier. And once she had tasted the greater freedom of leaving home, it was becoming unbearable.

At the university, she had been thrown into the exact opposite situation. In fact, many of her friends frequently forgot she was blind. She functioned really well, probably better than most because of her earthbending. But she still couldn't read. The group would send memes that her text-to-speech couldn't pick up. While her professors were understanding, she could feel their annoyance at having another thing put on their to-do list. It wasn't like anyone was being malicious; Toph had realized a long time ago that people just didn't think about the things going on around them very often. Her friends were the people who saw her for her, saw the very best in her. Hell, the Avatar himself asked her to help him continue his training. They saw her talent and potential, but it made them forget about her limitations sometimes too.

So Toph cursed whatever spirit world magic had brought together the two kinds of people in her life: those that fussed and those that forgot.

Zuko hadn't even recognized Toph when he and Iroh had passed the Bei Fong's. It was only his uncle's keen eye and passion for remembering faces that brought them together. And of course, when the Bei Fong's invited the great Dragon of the West and the theoretical heir to the Fire Nation to join them, the good-natured Iroh was only ever going to accept. Zuko was shocked at her appearance. Toph looked like a glass doll with her makeup and polished hairstyle. And the foul-mouthed girl who had teased him incessantly the night before (and unceremoniously ditched him at Jun's) didn't say a word.

"Oh yes," Iroh was saying over his roast duck, "our Toph here is a hardworking student. I see her very often studying late nights in the library."

Lao Bei Fong nodded as if suddenly remembering (though everyone at the table knew he had never forgotten), "Right. I had forgotten you gave up the throne for your tea shop. I'm afraid your brother Ozai's rule has not been kind to our investments in the south."

"Well, I was never meant to rule the Fire Nation. I am very happy with my shop." Zuko knew that his father had, in reality, seized power when Iroh's son had died suddenly.

But that was a relatively well-kept secret. It seemed that Iroh was happier working long hours at his shop, listening to the various crises of college students and others who wandered in, anyway. Leading and wisdom may have been in his nature, but those aren't the same as ruling.

Not getting the reaction her husband was hoping for, Poppy entered the conversation. "Prince Zuko, I hear you are enrolled at Ba Sing Se University as well. How are your studies going?"

Zuko inwardly groaned. "They are going well."

"My nephew here is modest. He works very hard. I have been pushing him to have more fun. That's one thing I have to thank your daughter for." Iroh groaned slightly just as he finished his sentence, jumping as a confused look crossed his face.

Lao's eyes narrowed. "Our daughter? I'm not sure what you mean." Lao's confusion silenced Iroh, who just looked quizzically at Toph.

Zuko felt the need to fill the silence that had washed over the table. "Toph and her friends were nice enough to invite me to hang out with them." Zuko felt something hit the bottom of his chair, hard. He looked at Toph, but she didn't react. Toph's face stayed impassive, eating her noodles with slow precision. Zuko had seen Poppy place the chopsticks in her hand earlier in the night as if she couldn't find them herself. He'd seen her pour drinks, surely she could pick up her chopsticks on her own.

"Toph isn't supposed to be spending time with any members of the opposite sex."

Iroh's eyes widened. "I assure you, Lao, the Avatar's friends are of high moral character. They are-"

Poppy covered her mouth, glancing at her husband. "The Avatar?" He said, bewildered. "Toph, you didn't tell us you know the Avatar or any of his companions."

Zuko turned, completely confused. "Don't you teach him earthbending?" A rock hit him in the gut so hard he doubled over, pretending to cough. Now he understood. They had no idea what she was up to at the university.

Poppy and Lao exchanged a glance and began laughing. "Oh, this must be some misunderstanding," Poppy laid her hand on Toph's shoulder. "Toph is only a very beginner earthbender. She won't learn anything more complicated than the basics with her condition. You must be confusing our little Toph with someone else. She certainly isn't skilled enough to train the Avatar."

Zuko and Iroh shared a sidelong glance and continued the evening as if Toph wasn't there, like her parents. "Right," Zuko said, "My mistake."

* * *

A few days later, Toph recounted the terrible dinner to Aang during his earthbending training. Toph was sitting leisurely on a rock while Aang warmed up. Earthbending was particularly difficult for him. He had been taught the basics by Bumi, the king of Omashu, the summer after his freshman year, but struggled to incorporate the bending into his sparring. When he met Toph at the start of their sophomore year at the training grounds, he knew she would be the perfect teacher, even if that meant getting his ass handed to him regularly.

"Wow," Aang breathed, still raising his knees high, bringing the earth with him. "So your parents really brushed off Zuko outing you like that so easily?"

Toph shrugged. "I think my dad was more interested in influencing Ozai's policies than figuring out why they thought I was your teacher."

"Weird. Hopefully, it stays that way, at least until we graduate. You know we'd always take care of you worst comes to worst, right?" For his kindness, Aang got a rock to the shoulder. He fell onto his back, laughing. "You're such a jerk Toph. It's on."

With that, Aang sent a powerful gust of wind her way, which she easily avoided by pulling up a wall in front of her. While he and Katara liked going to their secluded lake, Toph and Aang mainly practiced at the university's bending center. Whenever they came for practice, most of the other earthbenders quickly left or went to the observation deck. Everyone knew the Avatar and his teacher went all out, and Toph's unusual bending style had made her a bit famous on campus. This time was no exception, rocks flew left and right, the earth arena rapidly changing in shape as they moved.

For the first time in a while, Aang was actually doing well. Though he was hit by flying earth more than a few times, he was holding his own. Over their long spar, a small crowd of onlookers filled in the observation deck, looking for tricks they could use or just for fun. This normally didn't bother Aang, who had grown used to attention in the last few years of college. Luckily, most college students were way more concerned with their exams than the Avatar, unlike their parents. But this time, someone different was watching, so when Aang glanced up and saw On Ji, he faltered. Toph sensed his distraction and hit him straight in the chest. Aang was sent flying backward, hitting another rock and groaning. Toph sent a pillar into his back, forcing him upright and standing again. He stumbled forward but didn't fall on his face, winded.

"What was that, Twinkle Toes?" She walked towards him casually, clearing having won their match. "You were almost keeping up with me for a bit there."

He didn't answer for a moment, still out of breath from the hits. "On Ji's here."

Toph snorted. "So?"

He pulled up an earthen chair and sat in the lotus position, twirling some rocks between his fingers. "We've kind of been seeing each other. I don't know, I didn't expect her here. Just caught me off guard."

"Get up, horse stance."

He groaned but listened to his teacher.

"You can't lose your focus like that. Next time I'm going to hurt you way worse."

He started sweating and pulled his robe off his shoulder, throwing it aside so he was only in his loose pants. "I know, I know."

"Plus, come on. We both know you love Katara."

"Toph, come on!" Aang stood up, annoyed. "Everyone knows what happened. She literally does not like me. I have to respect that. Can a guy try to move on?" Aang sighed and started his earth exercises again.

"Yeah, right. That's why she was totally fine with you making out with On Ji right in front of her at Jun's."

Aang paused, holding a boulder in the air. "What are you talking about?"

Toph waved a hand at him. "Nothing. If you like On Ji, then great." She began walking away but decided to leave her pupil with one last gift. She moved the earth under his feet ever so slightly so he fell straight on his face, waving goodbye with a smirk.

As he laid facedown in the dirt, he thought about Toph's comment. Had his joke during training with Katara hit a nerve?

Once Toph left, the other earthbenders slowly filtered back in for their own training. After a while more of practicing, Aang decided he'd had enough for today. He looked up to see On Ji still watching from the observation deck. This time she waved, beckoning to join her. Aang airbent himself up, landing softly a few feet from her on the platform.

"Aang!" she gushed. "It was so cool watching you earthbend like that, I've never seen you spar before."

He laughed good-naturedly. "Yeah, you got to watch me get my ass kicked. Definitely not an earthbending master yet. Though I don't think anyone could beat Toph."

On Ji smiled. "It was still cool to watch. You looked great."

"Thanks. I'm probably a lot more fun to watch in the airbending arena, though."

"I'm sure." She paused, a little nervously. "So, I had a fun time the other night."

He nodded. "Yeah, me too. It was nice." It had been nice, from what he could remember. They had spent a while kissing and dancing before they had to take a drunk sister back to her sorority house. They ordered food and cuddled until morning.

This seemed to calm her nerves. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to my date party this weekend. My sorority is having it. It's that club down by the market, Soulbent?"

Aang's thoughts briefly drifted to Toph's weird comment. Was she implying Katara was bothered by him and On Ji? And did that mean Katara had feelings for him? Before his thoughts spiraled, Aang stopped himself.

He reminded himself of the play they had seen and the events after. She had not looked happy when it happened, and she never brought it up again. It had been almost 6 months. He needed to move on. He looked back at On Ji, who was looking at him expectantly, letting a grin come across his face. "I'd love to be your date. It sounds really fun."

* * *

Aang was walking towards the library when he heard his name. Katara was running up behind him to catch up. "Aang! Wait up!"

"Hey, Katara. Going to the library?"

She nodded, catching her breath as she pulled him into a hug. Aang ignored the light feeling in his stomach and the beachy smell of her hair.

"Oh good, I was hoping for some company."

The pair continued into the library, opting for a small booth on the third floor in the Jasmine Dragon. Iroh hurried over from a game of pai sho, a desolate expression on his face. "Aang, Katara, I'm glad I caught you. You must tell Toph how sorry I am for almost revealing her secret to her parents."

Katara placed a hand on Iroh's. "Don't worry, Iroh. I don't think she was upset. We all should have mentioned it."

"Her parents almost never visit, it was such a coincidence that you ran into her in the first place," Aang seconded.

Iroh nodded. "Even still." He suddenly gasped and ran back behind the counter. Aang and Katara exchanged a look as he ran back with a box. "Would you bring this to Toph? These are her favorite, the coconut macaroons."

After Iroh was sufficiently placated, Aang and Katara started on their work. Katara highlighted and color-coded her notes, making sure her handwriting was perfect. Aang took a more laid-back approach, which mainly involved messing around on his computer and getting a few minutes of work in here and there. After a few hours, they were ready to call it quits. They ordered some tea for the road and sat back down.

"So, I was thinking we should do something this weekend! I've been wanting to see that new mover that's showing on Saturday?"

Aang smiled but then stopped short. "Oh, I'm sorry, Katara. I actually have plans on Saturday."

"Plans?" she teased. "Since when do you have plans Mr. Popular?"

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are." He stopped to examine Katara's reaction, a small part of him wondering if there was more to Toph's comment than she had let on. "I'm actually going to that KW date party this weekend." Aang paused, looking for any change in Katara's face. "On Ji invited me."

The breath in Katara's throat caught, making her unable to respond as quickly as she would have liked. She reddened at the natural reaction of her body to Aang's news. "Oh. Gotcha, that's great. I didn't realize it was more than a one-time thing."

She blushed. Why had she blushed?

She could feel Aang's eyes studying as she looked down. "Katara, you know I'm not really like that. One-time things were fine freshman year, but I like at least spending a little time with them." When she didn't answer, seemingly focusing her attention on her phone, he hastily added that they could catch the mover next week.

Katara suddenly brightened, though it was a little forced. "Let's go next weekend then!"

Iroh called out their names for their to-go orders and Katara quickly got up to grab them. Aang continued to look at her a little quizzically, confused by her reaction. On one hand, she had looked a little upset. But that could have been because he and Katara had a tradition of seeing mover premieres. Right, it must be that. Toph was just being Toph, and Katara was just being Katara. Katara handed Aang his green tea. "Ready to go?"

Aang nodded and followed Katara out of the doors.


	4. Date Parties and Distractions

_Sokka: Pre-game at our place tomorrow. You guys in?_

_Toph: Depends, is Aang bringing the KW girls?_

_Aang: Just two, and another dude_

_Toph: Fine I'll come but only to beat them in pong_

_Aang: You're on_

_Suki: I'm in!_

_Sokka: I'm inviting some of my brothers too_

_Katara: That many people in your little apartment? Pass_

_Sokka: If it's such a big deal to you Katara, maybe you should host_

_Toph: Gee thanks Katara_

_Aang: So I'll invite the KWs to your place? Weird, but ok_

_Sokka: Perfect! Your island is better for pong anyway_

_Katara: This is not what I had in mind at all Sokka_

_Suki: It's okay Katara, we can do a girls night out_

_Sokka: Yeah Katara have a GNO!_

_Aang: GNO!_

_Zuko: I'm so lost, what is a GNO?_

Katara looked up from her phone and sighed. In reality, she had been trying to get out of this pregame with her comment about apartment size, but instead had managed to move it right to her living room. Ever since Aang had told her about the date party, her stomach was in knots.

Katara laid back on her bed, feeling the soft woven blanket under her. She was frustrated with herself on so many levels. Katara had always cared deeply about Aang. When he showed up at the Southern Water Tribe to learn waterbending from her new grandfather Pakku, they bonded right away. In him, she saw someone who cared for every living being. Someone who could match her excitement and who made her feel like she did before her mom died. The best friend she had ever had.

She, Sokka, and Aang went to Omashu after freshman year where Aang started earthbending. Katara thought they would go to the Fire Nation when he went the summer after to study firebending under Jeong Jeong, but she had ruined it.

After the disaster that was their first kiss, Aang ran away. He took Appa and Momo and went straight to the Fire Nation, only a note in his wake.

Katara wasn't expecting him to kiss her. Though _Love Amongst the Dragons_ was supposed to be romantic, the student production had absolutely butchered it. All Katara felt from their performance was second-hand embarrassment. So when Aang pressed his lips to hers, grabbing her sides and pulling her towards him, she was shocked. Instinctually she jumped back, even if she didn't necessarily _not_ want the kiss.

Katara groaned, loudly. Did she want the kiss? In the moment she was too shocked to think. It was like her brain had short-circuited.

Aang was attractive. It was obvious that women liked him. He was charming. A good dancer. Sweet! On paper, he was perfect. He was everything she wanted in a partner. But Katara knew she must have pulled away for a reason. Right?

Suki knocked lightly on Katara's door, who only grunted in response. The door opened cautiously as Suki came down to sit on Katara's bed. "Are you okay?"

Katara sat up to face her friend. "Yeah, I'm okay."

When Katara didn't elaborate, Suki prompted her. She had a sneaky feeling about what was bothering Katara. She had known them all since freshman year, and it killed her to watch Katara ignore her feelings while Aang had drowned in his. "Something's bothering you. Is it the pregame, maybe?"

Katara just nodded, feeling dumb and confused. "I don't know why it bothers me when I pretty much rejected him in the first place."

"Well, maybe you just weren't ready." Suki paused. "I can always tell Sokka we won't host. I'm happy to break a pipe under the sink or something as an excuse."

Katara laughed, grateful for her friend's willingness to cause property damage to protect her feelings. "No, I'm okay. Who knows, maybe it will help me figure out why I'm feeling this way. I mean, I must have expected him to find someone eventually, right?"

"Right, but I don't know that he's really 'found somebody' per se. It's one date. I was serious about girl's night by the way. I think after the pregame we should get totally trashed and go out. Maybe meet some guys other than Ruon Jian and Sokka?"

Katara raised her eyebrows. "Have you changed your mind about the whole 'open' thing with Sokka?"

Suki looked nervous, but almost a little excited. "I had a really good talk with Toph. She said I should just embrace it, and I think she's right. Why not have fun if I can?"

"Right. For the record, I think Sokka is a complete moron."

"Thanks, Katara. He really is." Suki smirked and squeezed Katara's arm. "I'm off to take a nap. Get ready together?"

"Always." Katara watched her friend leave the room and fell backward in a huff. Maybe tonight would go well. By all accounts, On Ji was supposed to be really nice. And then she and Suki would have a good night together. Worst come to worst she could call Ruon Jian.

* * *

Aang and Sokka arrived at the girls' apartment together, Aang looking a little more dressed up than Sokka. They came with beer in hand, trusting that Toph would have an abundant selection of liquor.

As they settled in to play Smash with Toph, music started blasting from Suki's bathroom. This had become a bit of a ritual for the pair: listening to music, choosing their outfits, and applying their makeup. They also had a habit of taking a shot after each crucial step of the makeup was finished, most importantly the eyeliner. It really was impossible to do without your balance. They danced together as they put bright, iridescent makeup on. Katara usually liked to put on a bright blue highlighter for The Painted Lady, Suki opting for gold. It made them glow under the lights. The results of their efforts were always magic, and it made both feel like the most powerful women on the planet by the end.

Once they emerged, Sokka angrily took over the music selection, grumbling about their "girly" music choices. Aang looked up at the pair, and as always, felt the air leave his lungs. Whatever she did to her eyes for The Painted Lady always had a strong effect on him. He'd watched her apply makeup from her bed in the dorms in years before, and a small part of him missed seeing that process. He rubbed the back of his head, laying down his controller. "You look beautiful."

Katara was about to smile when the call box rang. Suki was quick to answer and let the girls up. Katara smiled politely with a wave as Aang introduced On Ji, who introduced her sorority sister, Ty Lee. Ty Lee bounced over to Katara, reaching out to touch her earrings with a compliment. Okay, Ty Lee was nice. While Ty Lee babbled on about this and that, Katara caught sight of Aang and On Ji behind her head. Aang had mixed her a drink, and they tapped their glasses together with grins.

Katara forced her attention back to Ty Lee when Aang brushed his fingers along On Ji's arm. She knew what it felt like. He had done that right before he kissed her, and suddenly Katara wanted nothing else but his hand brushing her arm. Ty Lee made a comment that made Katara laugh, and almost distracted her from the flush reaching her face. "You really have such a beautiful aura, Katara. Don't worry about what's bothering you, it'll taint it."

Katara's head snapped up. "What?"

Ty Lee winked at her and slid off the arm of the couch, heading for a drink. The call box rang again, this time Aang got it. Teo and Haru, Sokka's fraternity little and brother respectively, opened the door, meeting Sokka in a hug. On Ji seemed to jump at the click of Teo's cane, but he didn't notice. "So glad you guys came by, we should be able to beat Toph with this crew."

"I heard that, and no, you won't be able to." Toph was incredibly good at beer pong despite her blindness, a skill that not even she could explain.

Aang and On Ji took on Toph and Suki in a game of pong. Katara watched, catching herself almost a little smug that On Ji was doing so poorly. Aang was definitely carrying their team, but he smoothly reassured her about her lack of skill and they just laughed together. Katara decided it was time for another shot to blur the thoughts.

Aang, On Ji, Toph, and Suki finished up their friendly game of pong just as the call box rang once more. This time, an annoyed Zuko and pumped Ruon Jian came up.

When Ruon Jian entered, it was like he suddenly realized where he was. "Word," he said, mostly to himself. "Kat, what's up girl?"

Toph instantly laughed out loud, feeling the glare that Katara was sending her way. She heard Aang behind her clear his throat and turned to see his jaw clenched. Katara knew he didn't like being around people she'd been with, but he had always kept his composure and had never mentioned it. Apparently, the feeling was becoming mutual.

Ty Lee, luckily, interrupted the moment with a squeal. "My date!"

Katara and Suki looked at each other in brief horror before laughing with Toph.

Sokka looked between the three, confused. "What am I missing here?" Suki sat in his lap briefly to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry, just girl stuff."

"I hate to be a party pooper," On Ji started, "but we should probably head out if we want to make it to Soulbent before the tab runs out."

"Oh don't worry about that," Aang said, pouring a round of shots for the room. "We've got Appa." He handed them out, and Katara took hers quickly.

On Ji's eyes opened wide. "Your flying bison? I don't know, Aang...I'm a little afraid of heights."

Toph snorted but covered it up. Katara surprised even herself when she rolled her eyes at On Ji's anxiety. Aang caught her doing it with a surprised raise of his eyebrows. "Oh don't worry, On Ji," he said, never breaking eye contact with Katara, "Tequila Katara has fallen off of Appa a few times, and I always catch her. Right, Katara?"

Her eyes narrowed, but before she could get out a response On Ji pulled Aang in close to her. "You'd catch me, right?"

He laughed and assured her he would as On Ji placed a kiss on his cheek. Katara looked away.

Zuko was busy preparing Toph's favorite drink (a gin and tonic, according to Sokka) as an apology for the other night. He hadn't meant to out her as a master earthbender in front of her parents. Toph was about to start up another round of Smash when he walked up to her. "Apology drink?"

"I'll always take a free drink."

"Look, Toph," Zuko rubbed the back of his neck lightly. "I'm sorry for what happened at dinner the other night. I didn't know about your relationship with your parents. I know what that's like, a little."

Toph smiled a little evilly. "Don't worry, I should have accounted for your lack of social grace and planned for it earlier." She punched him on the arm, signalling the issue over. "Round of smash?"

Zuko smiled. "Yeah, sure."

Aang separated from On Ji a moment later to confer with Katara and Suki. "What club were you guys going to again?"

"The Painted Lady, right Katara?"

She nodded. They loved The Painted Lady. The drink girls all dressed like the famous spirit and it was filled with smoke and flashing lights.

Aang looked up in thought, his face scrunching. "Maybe we should leave a little earlier than I planned, it's in the opposite direction."

"You don't have to bring us Aang, we can call Toph's driver or something." Katara was quick to say, once again trying to get out of hanging out with him and On Ji.

Aang grinned. "It's my pleasure, Katara. Appa needs the exercise, and between you and me," Aang leaned in as if telling a secret, "I'm not sure I trust Toph's driver all that much."

Suki and Katara rolled their eyes, and Katara went to her room to grab her ID. She caught her reflection in the mirror of her bathroom. She hated these moments of weird, drunk clarity where she felt like she was seeing herself as she really was. The lights of the bathroom felt a little harsh, and even though her makeup and hair were still neat, she almost felt naked. As much as she had tried to drink it away, the evening had proven her worst fears to be true.

She was jealous. A flame felt like it was passing through her stomach and, weirdly, her brain. When had this happened? She had seen Aang with other girls before. She wracked her slow, addled brain for what was different all of a sudden. Something seemed to have fundamentally changed when Aang kissed her. She suddenly felt possessive of him. On Ji had her hands all over something that belonged to her. And worse, he seemed to like it.

"Alright, everybody! 10 minutes until we head to Soulbent!" Aang announced before calling Appa from the balcony.

Needing to use the bathroom, he crossed the room. When he walked into Katara's bathroom, which was the one open to the living room, he paused. Katara was leaning over the sink, her knuckles white as she gripped its sides. "Hey, you okay?"

She looked up. Katara hadn't heard him come in. Aang quickly closed the door behind him and leaned down to her level. "What's wrong?"

Katara knew exactly what was wrong. She _did_ have feelings for Aang. Real, romantic feelings. Maybe she always had, but it didn't matter until he made his own known.

She contemplated spilling her guts to him. That his kiss caught her unexpectedly, that she thought he was just a flirt and didn't have feelings for her, that seeing him with On Ji made her want to water whip him to next Tuesday, that his lips near her face were the most tempting thing she'd ever seen.

But she knew she couldn't. Because while the night had frustrated her to no end, she could see that Aang was genuinely having fun with On Ji. And even worse, On Ji was super nice. Who was she to get between them? She couldn't risk her best friend's happiness over her jealousy. Besides, maybe this was fleeting, just a weird phase of their friendship. Katara sighed and looked up at Aang. "I'm fine. I think my last shot just hit my stomach the wrong way."

The concerned expression on Aang's face didn't leave, but he nodded slowly. "Okay. Do you need anything?" Katara shook her head quickly and pulled him into a hug. His smell was overwhelmingly intoxicating. It was normally a smell of comfort, one that she had experienced often since they were joined at the hip. But now, in combination with her newfound realization and vodka, it was overwhelming.

She pushed him away abruptly and smiled. "I'm going back out to get some water." Quickly leaving, Katara ran her hands under the water in the kitchen sink.

On Ji swayed a few feet from her to the music Sokka had put on. Katara took a deep breath when she started walking her way. "Hey Katara. I know you're really close with Aang." Katara turned and nodded, trying to keep her facial muscles in check. "Well, I really like him. Is there anything I should know so I don't mess up?"

What a nightmare. "Um...he doesn't eat meat. And Appa is his best friend."

On Ji nodded, not super pleased by Katara's lame attempt but glad to have something like an ally. "Thanks. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Their conversation was cut short by Appa groaning from the balcony.

Aang emerged from the bathroom. "That's our ride!" He rushed over to Appa with a head of cabbage he seemed to pull from out of nowhere. Appa was flying next to the balcony, staying relatively still in the air. Aang helped everyone step onto a chair and then onto Appa's saddle. Sokka, Toph, and the others waved them goodbye as Aang steered Appa back into the sky. The first time flyers gasped as they rose, getting to see the city from the sky for the first time.

Once they were at a nice cruising altitude, Aang reached back towards the saddle for On Ji to join him on Appa's head. Suki, who had easily picked up on Katara's mood, squeezed her hand lightly and rolled her eyes at Aang's move. Arriving at The Painted Lady, he hopped off Appa to earthbend a set of stairs for Katara and Suki who were in no shape to jump. They waved goodbye and walked towards the entrance when Aang caught Katara's arm. "Hey. Be safe. And whatever's been bothering you, I'm sure it will get better." He looked at her with his gray eyes intensely, studying her face. He needed to see that she was okay, especially before heading into a bar with sleazy hedgefund guys.

Katara nodded and gave him a small smile, ignoring the urge to grab him and pull him into the club with them. _What would he do if I did?_ she mused in the brief time that he was touching her. She needed to get away from him. She was grateful when Aang joined On Ji on Appa and they crossed back over the city towards Soulbent.

When Katara and Suki made it past the line, Katara instantly noticed her mood lifted. With the exception of high quantities of tequila, both Katara and Suki were especially alert drunks. The strobe lights, mirrors, and smoke made The Painted Lady totally disorienting, and as a result, super fun for the normally hyper aware pair. The flashing lights made it through Katara's eyelids, so there was no escape. The music thudded in their chests and the girls did what they always did: danced. She let her earlier feelings flow off her and forcibly turned her attention to the men in the room. Instantly, her eyes connected with a cute Fire Nation guy. Perfect.

Across town Aang was petting Appa for a job well done, telling him to stay nearby. "Shall we?" Aang grabbed On Ji's hand. Soulbent was by far the nicest club in the Middle Ring. Like The Painted Lady, it had colorful strobes and a good DJ, but the entire place was swathed in a purple hue that made anyone inside feel sexier than they had any business being. The sorority had gotten the VIP room where they could dance without the huge crowd, of course with plenty of hidden booths for private time.

The group immediately headed toward the bar, hoping to get a few drinks before the tab ran out. Aang ordered his usual vodka sprite and a vodka cran for On Ji. Despite the swirling of his mind already, it couldn't take Katara from earlier out of his mind. He was worried about her at that club. It wasn't that she couldn't take care of herself, but more that he didn't like the crowd. Suki insisted it was great because the businessmen often bought drinks and were generous with any drugs they had, Aang had always felt a little weird about it. It almost felt transactional even though it wasn't. He hated to think of Katara in situations like that with older men they didn't know. Something was obviously wrong earlier back at the apartment. It wasn't the first time he noticed her act weird when On Ji was mentioned, but he still couldn't quite believe that she'd care about that. He tried to clear the muck from his brain and focus on On Ji, but knew it wasn't going to happen without a bit more alcohol. As he handed the drink to On Ji, Aang caught a flash of silvery-white hair. "Yue?"

Yue spun around, drink in hand. "Aang!" She wrapped him in a brief hug before looking at On Ji. "I didn't know you were bringing Aang here, On Ji."

"How do you guys know each other?"

"I dated his roommate! And, you know, Avatar stuff."

Aang nodded. He had been introduced to most of the world's important people at various events in his short tenure as Avatar. It was there that he was able to introduce Yue and Sokka. "I've really missed having you around, Yue. Even if that meant getting sexiled from our freshman dorm all the time."

Yue giggled, rolling her eyes. "Oh come on, you loved having an excuse to hang out with Katara."

When Aang reddened and didn't have much of a response, Yue realized what she had said. She grabbed her date without looking from behind her back. "Have you guys met Hahn?"

On Ji shook her head. "Nice to meet you, Hahn."

"Hahn and I have known each other forever. Anyway," Yue smiled at Aang. "Have fun you two!" Yue pulled Hahn towards the dance floor with the grace only a princess could muster.

"I can't believe you know Yue! And I can't believe she dated _Sokka…_ " On Ji giggled.

"Hey, he's not that bad. Yue is awesome, I really do miss having her around."

On Ji tugged on Aang's arm. "Well, if we keep hanging out you'll have an excuse to hang out with her too. Come on, let's go dance."

Aang downed his drink quickly and joined On Ji on the dance floor. He had always loved dancing. Among the Air Nomads, dancing was a great way to practice the rhythm necessary for airbending. Add alcohol, a pretty girl, and the flashing lights, and anything holding Aang back from going full out was gone. He spun her around over and over just to watch her giggle in her dizziness, letting her stumble but keeping her upright. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled his chest against her, an attempt to stop the room from spinning. They swayed like that for a little while. Aang let his hands settle on her lower back. She looked up at him. "Aang, I'm really glad you came with me." She traced the arrow on the back of his hand. Aang sighed. This was nice. Right? Right.


	5. Under Fire

Suki bit her lip while she tried to sneak Chan out of her room and towards the door. She'd met the surfer at Jun's after The Painted Lady. She was trying to get away from her friend from Kyoshi Island who had, for years, been totally in love with her. When she saw Chan from her yoga class, she knew she had a perfect excuse to talk to someone else. What she hadn't expected was that he would be fun, or that she would have the courage to agree when he suggested they get out of there. She'd waved goodbye to Katara who was talking to Jun. Both Jun and Katara were quite excited by the development.

Unfortunately for Suki, Toph was in the kitchen. "Oh, hi!" she said as if she were a delightful and friendly roommate.

Suki sheepishly introduced Chan to Toph while showing him the way out.

"So," Toph grinned wickedly. "You took my advice."

Suki had. And she was shocked at how fun it was to just have some fun. She and Chan had actually never gone to sleep. After a little private time that Suki decided she'd call "adequate," they had cuddled and talked about all sorts of things. Their various travels, his (surprising) passion for drawing, his muscles (which she wasn't particularly curious about, but he loved to talk about). It certainly wasn't a love connection, but Suki had enjoyed herself. "I did. It was… interesting."

Toph smirked. "Good. This is probably what Sokka had in mind, too."

Katara heard the talking and came out to join them. "Good morning. Did someone have a guest over last night?" she asked nosily.

"Yeah hang ten, dude." Toph imitated, having way too much fun.

Suki shoved her lightly before filling Katara in on her night. She was looking forward to her next yoga class.

It was Wednesday at Ba Sing Se University and that meant one thing: the farmers market! While farmers were always out and about selling their goods, they gathered for a few hours on the campus green with fresh lunches. The stalls would be set up in the early morning, and they often cooked the food right on site.

Aang and Sokka had just gotten out of their classes and decided to meet for lunch. It had been long, boring classes for both of them. Aang was deeply tired of all his international relations classes, but the monks had insisted it was for the best. Unfortunately, he didn't get much choice on his major, classes, or anything else practical or related to the future. Katara had once asked Aang what he would study if he could choose anything, and he had no idea. He'd never thought about studying before he was told he was the Avatar.

The pair walked through the market, undecided on what they wanted to get with so many options. There were options from all over the world, even a few Air Nomad-style foods.

"Sooo," Sokka started. "I heard On Ji at the apartment this morning."

Aang nodded. "Yeah, we were up late studying. She had class early though."

"Things seem to be getting serious if she's sleeping over on weekdays?"

"I guess." Aang was distracted. He really didn't want to be having this conversation, especially not with Sokka. His morning with On Ji had not been entirely pleasant. In actuality, she had left the apartment unhappily, and not because she had an early class to get to.

Beautiful, wide eyes ripped through his mind. Even hours later, images were still flashing through his mind from the dream he was rudely ripped away from. Soft, wavy hair pooled around his head and chest, blue eyes so close to his he could see nothing else. Aang could swear he could still feel the pressure of her nose on his. And had his brain imagined her soft whimper when she leaned down and pressed her lips to his, or had she made that sound when he kissed her in real life?

Unfortunately for Aang, his dream didn't remain in his subconscious. He woke up to On Ji shaking him lightly, looking a little upset. "Morning."

He had blinked, the vividness of the dream making him unsure what was real life anymore. "Oh, morning."

"Were you having a dream? You were talking in your sleep."

Aang panicked slightly, knowing full well what had been in his dreams. "I was? Oh, I was uh...dreaming about flying."

Unfortunately, he had never been a good liar, and On Ji looked down to avoid looking at him directly. "You, uh, were saying Katara's name over and over."

"Oh. I guess she was there too?" Aang cringed internally. She was certainly there.

On Ji could tell there was more to it, but couldn't bring herself to say anything except "Okay." Ever since the date party, On Ji had suspected that there was maybe more between Aang and Katara than simple waterbending practice. She had seen him go into the bathroom with her, and she saw the look in Katara's eye right before she walked into the club. But the night had been really nice with Aang, and when it was just them she felt important to him. "Sorry, it was just weird to hear," she laughed awkwardly.

"On Ji…" Aang tipped her chin back up and kissed her lightly. "It's not like that. You're the one in my bed right now. It was just a dream, whatever it was."

She looked down again, pursing her lips. "You have feelings for her, right?"

Aang knew this was dangerous territory. He interlaced his fingers with hers. "Katara is my best friend and my waterbending teacher. I'll always...care about her."

While this didn't seem to placate On Ji, she felt she had her answer. "Okay. I think I'm going to go."

"Hey, come on. Stay, it's early." Aang yawned, still trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

On Ji got up to change. "It's okay. I think I just need some time alone."

Aang felt bad, but he didn't know what would make her feel better. He certainly didn't want to tell her the full truth: that he had feelings for Katara from the moment he set eyes on her at the Southern Water Tribe. Nor did he want to explain that he was heartbroken over the summer when she had turned him down. "On Ji, she doesn't like me like that." This didn't change her getting ready. She slipped into her tunic easily. "If you're going to go, at least let me take you over on Appa."

She shook her head. "I'd rather walk. I'll see you in class later." She cupped his cheek lightly for a second before leaving the apartment.

But despite the real-life hurt feelings between him and On Ji, the only thing racing through his brain was the imaginary feeling of Katara's skin on his.

"Earth to Aang?" Sokka was staring at Aang like he grew a second head.

"What?" This briefly pulled him out of his reverie. "Sorry. I didn't sleep well." Understatement of the century.

Sokka gestured to the stand behind him. "I _said_ , did you want to get the noodles?"

Aang really didn't care about the noodles or what they ate, so he agreed. Sokka was prattling on, but he still couldn't focus on his words. She had practically taken over his brain. He felt like a husk of a person, with dream Katara overwhelming his senses.

"So I went to Jun's last night with everyone you left behind at the girls' place. Lots of cool girls, not a single one of them wanted to dance with me."

"Uh huh." The soft thudding of her heart was in his ears.

"Freshman year it was easier to meet people, I think. I felt like a total chick magnet back then."

"Right." Her lips on his neck.

"Now? I'm not sure. All it really did was make me miss Suki. I mean I see her almost every day, but still."

"Mhm." His tongue in her mouth.

Sokka had to pause before speaking again, his mouth full of noodles. He leaned back on his free hand in the grass to look up at the trees. "Don't get me wrong. I love Suki. I just felt like I wasted time with Yue a little bit. I cared about her, but in the end, it didn't work out."

"Yeah." His hands around her waist. Spirits, her curves.

"I don't want Suki and me to make the same mistakes."

"Sure." The power she had over him was unbelievable. He could live in that dream forever.

Sokka stiffened suddenly. "Something's wrong."

Something about the tone of Sokka's voice brought Aang out of his trance. "What?"

"I don't know." Sokka looked around wildly, trying to find what his body had picked up before his eyes could. The pair stood up. It just seemed like a normal Farmer's Market. Students walking all around, vendors putting lines through the dishes they ran out of on their boards.

"Sokka, I don't see anything…"

He shook his head hard, already gripping his boomerang. "No something's up, for sure."

"I don't know, Sok-"

"Look out!" Sokka's boomerang went flying and hit a man poised to firebend straight at Aang. Before the boomerang came back, the two boys were surrounded by five people in black. "See?!" Sokka yelled at Aang, pulling his war club out.

"Alright Sokka," Aang gripped his staff tightly. "I'll never doubt your gut again."

Aang blasted the person closest to him into a tree with a jet of air, spinning quickly to extinguish the flame heading towards Sokka, giving him a chance to charge with his club. The pair fought well together, a product of living and traveling together over the previous 3 years. Though the world was at peace officially, they'd had their fair share of run-ins.

Around them, confused college students fled the quad. Though they were used to fights breaking out, this one seemed to have the potential to spill into uninvolved civilians. Just as Aang froze one attacker to a tree, another hit him with a powerful kick. It sent him flying straight into one of the nearby stands. "Sorry!" Cabbages flew left and right as Aang airbent himself upwards. During his time breaking through the stand, Sokka had managed to hit the attacker.

Just as quickly as they appeared, they ran, seeming to realize they were outmatched. Aang and Sokka chased them through alleys, over fences, but eventually, they lost them. They stood panting by an alley for a few moments before looking at each other worriedly.

"I'm going to text the group," Aang said, pulling out his phone.

_Aang: Stay on high alert guys. Sokka and I just got attacked on the green_

_Katara: WHAT_

_Katara: Are you guys okay?_

_Sokka: We're fine, everyone just keep an eye out_

_Suki: What did they look like? Were they targeting you?_

_Aang: All wearing black, mostly firebenders_

_Toph: Helpful!_

_Aang: Sorry Toph_

_Sokka: I got a sense they knew who we were_

_Katara: What are we going to do?_

Aang looked up to Sokka. "What _are_ we going to do?"

"I'll send a hawk to the Earth King. We need to figure out who these people were and why they tried to kill you."

"You really think they were trying to kill us?" Aang felt a little lightheaded.

Sokka didn't answer, deep in thought. "Call Appa. I know what we should do."


	6. Planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurred to me that sending a hawk to the Earth King when they all have phones didn’t make a ton of sense, so from now on I’m going to say that world leaders use hawks for messages they don’t want intercepted. National security!! Also, let’s assume Roku died peacefully in his sleep.
> 
> And y’all thought On Ji was done...SORRY.

As soon as Sokka had texted him, Iroh closed up the Jasmine Dragon. It was unprecedented. Confused students and regular patrons whispered their theories on why the tea shop that hadn't closed in recent memory had its shades drawn and doors locked. Zuko stood by the side door to discreetly let members of the Gaang in when they arrived. Sokka thought the Jasmine Dragon would be the safest place to meet, and Iroh was the closest nearby adult they all fully trusted.

Suki had been one of the first to arrive and remained clung to Sokka's side. Aang was deep in thought, leaning on his arms on the table. He'd known he was the Avatar for 5 years or so now. Thus far, it hadn't put him in any real danger. It impacted him, sure. He had to leave the Southern Air Temple, which he had been really upset about at the time. But it had brought great things into his life. Good friends, a deeper connection to the world, the opportunity to live differently than most of his Air Nomad peers.

He'd been able to mostly ignore the fact that he was the Avatar. Yes, he did his training each summer and didn't have a huge choice in his major. Even though it was different than he was expecting, he was living a relatively normal life for someone in his early 20s. But today, his identity wasn't just putting him at risk, it was putting his friends at risk. Sokka could have been hurt because of him. He pushed the thoughts away when the door opened. If anyone would be more worried than him, it would be Katara, and he had no intention of adding to that.

Katara burst into the room, practically elbowing past Zuko as she ran to her brother and friend. Seeing that Suki was wrapped around Sokka already, Katara seized Aang in her arms. She pulled his head into her neck. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

He smiled quickly. "We're okay, Katara. It wasn't a big deal, I think Sokka and I were just spooked in the moment."

As Toph arrived, Iroh brought a round of tea for the table. Breaking the silence, Sokka spoke. "Thank you for letting us meet here, Iroh."

He nodded, sipping his tea. "Of course. I'm glad you came."

"Alright," Sokka started, "I've already sent a message to the Earth King. He'll likely send out the Dai Li to start finding out who attacked, and why."

Katara unconsciously gripped Aang's arm tighter. Aang rubbed her hand gently, trying to calm her down. "So what do we do in the meantime?"

"We can't just pretend nothing happened."

"Stop." Aang sat up in a moment of clarity. "You all could be in danger because of me, none of you should be doing anything about this." He hated seeing her like this. He hated seeing all of them like this.

The entire table disagreed immediately in a rumble of discontent.

"Aang, we're not going to let you take this on alone." Katara placed an arm around his shoulder reassuringly.

"Come on, Airhead. We knew what we were getting into when we signed up." Toph cracked her knuckles. "They're just lucky I wasn't there this time."

Aang's eyes closed and he breathed a sigh of relief. He knew they wouldn't back down, and he was secretly glad. He looked up. "Zuko, you really didn't sign up for this. You're the Fire Prince, you can't get hurt on my watch."

Zuko paused, deep in thought. "You're right, I am the Fire Prince. I have a responsibility to my people, and to the world. The Avatar is good for the world. I think I'll stick around." He smirked.

Iroh nodded. "He's right, Aang. You need friends you can trust now more than ever. Whoever has attacked is doing so before you are a fully realized Avatar. They know once your training is complete, it will be significantly harder to defeat you. It is important that you master the elements as quickly as possible."

"Oh, I could teach firebending. You already started with Master Jeong Jeong, right?" Zuko leaned in, trying to catch Aang's gaze. "Spirits Aang, drink some tea and calm down."

Katara handed Aang his cup, running her hand up and down his back. If only she knew it was her touch really making him feel overwhelmed. The attack had certainly helped clear his mind of the dream, but seeing Katara, _smelling_ Katara, was bringing it all rushing back as she touched him. "Alright, that's settled then. We've written the Earth King, Zuko will teach him firebending, and Toph and I will keep training him. What's next?"

Iroh nodded. "I think it would be wise for all of you to get out of Ba Sing Se for a little while. Maybe even take a vacation from the city while the Dai Li figures out what is going on."

"Leave the city? Where would we go?"

Sokka laughed suddenly after a pause. "Next week is Ember Island Weekend."

Ember Island Weekend was a tradition among the students of Ba Sing Se University. It was a bit of a misnomer because they had the whole week off from classes. While students went all over for the break, many preferred Ember Island for its warmth, secluded beaches, and lack of Dai Li officers to break up parties.

"Wait!" Toph sat up. "That's perfect! No one would expect the Avatar to go to a trashy college party town, especially after an attack." It was true. They had never gone before, usually opting to do some specialized training or catch up on sleep during the week off. While they had a good time, he did take his training rather seriously.

Aang blinked. Suddenly nothing sounded better than getting out of Ba Sing Se and away from the anxieties that had flooded his head since that afternoon. He'd been to Ember Island before, and it was beautiful. He felt a smile spreading across his face.

Iroh and Zuko exchanged a glance. "We can use the family beach house. No one ever uses it, so we should be fine there."

"The important thing is that you get out of the city just until we're sure it's safe. You may as well have some fun if you can on the way. Drunk college students are not exactly the most observant. Most of the residents leave Ember Island to avoid them as well."

Sokka looked at Aang. "So, it's a plan?"

Iroh smirked knowingly. "Aang, you could bring that new lady friend of yours."

He looked at Iroh with surprise. "We just got attacked, and you're suggesting I bring a non-bender on a trip?"

Katara released her death grip from his arm and slowly sipped her tea.

Suki glared. "Hey, us non-benders can hold our own."

"You're right, you're right," he said, holding his hands up in mock defeat while Suki swatted his arm. "A non-fighter," he amended.

"Aang, you aren't a fully realized Avatar yet. That should be your focus. Let us handle the rest." Iroh smiled reassuringly.

"Us?"

"Us elders. We've been around a while and held things together while you were a child. We will handle this too. I will talk to the Earth King and figure everything out. We will fix this by the time you are back. And yes, bring your friend. People have seen you together, so she is probably safer with all of you than alone."

There was a knock at the door. "Dai Li!" Iroh stood to let them in.

A few uniformed officers came into the tea shop. "Avatar Aang, we heard about the attack. We're locking everything down, your apartments are being guarded and we have teams looking for the assailants. We'll have patrols throughout the university as well and are interviewing witnesses as we speak."

Iroh clapped the stiff officer on the shoulder, much to his apparent distaste. "See, Aang? We've got it under control. Leave the city, and do your training in the desert like we talked about." He turned around and winked.

Team Avatar looked at each other, smirking at Iroh's attempt to throw off the Dai Li. "Alright, let's pack. We'll leave for the Si Wong tomorrow morning."

* * *

Aang had debated whether or not to ask On Ji if she wanted to join them after their awkward conversation. He'd been ignoring her texts all day with everything that had been going on. But Iroh's words had worried him. He didn't like the idea of putting someone in danger. She would be safer with them, ironically, drunk on a tropical island. He also wanted to forget about everything that today's events had brought up, and On Ji would make a wonderful distraction.

He took his glider to her place that evening, texting her for the first time when he landed. She came out cautiously, still not sure about how she felt about earlier that day, but concerned after hearing from a sister about the incident at the Farmer's Market. "Aang, I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

He nodded, pulling her into a light hug. "Totally fine. I'm sorry I was AWOL all day, especially after this morning." He held her at arm's length. "We had a lot going on today. Look, I wasn't all awake when we talked this morning. The truth is, I like you, and I'd like to see where this goes."

Were the feelings as strong as the ones he had for Katara? No, but it was the truth. On Ji was fun to hang out with. She didn't seem super concerned about his status as the Avatar and they had a good time together.

She smiled. "Well, that's good news, I guess."

"That's not why I'm here though. I have a really weird proposition for you." She raised her eyebrows and he laughed. "Nothing like that. Do you want to go on a trip with me and everyone tomorrow morning?"

"A trip tomorrow morning?"

"We need to get out of town after everything that happened for a little while. I thought you might like to come." She didn't answer, so he changed his tune quickly. "Zero pressure. I'd understand if you were nervous being around us after today." He didn't want to freak her out, either, by telling her that she could be in danger. Earlier, he'd asked the Dai Li to keep tabs on her just in case.

She considered his offer. Getting whisked away on a mystery vacation sounded fun, and she was dating the Avatar after all. She should have expected things to be a little chaotic. "Where are you going?"

He made a face. "Sorry, I can't tell you until we're in the air, or after I get back."

She laughed. "How am I supposed to pack?!"

"We'll be warm, I can tell you that. Wait, does that mean you'll come?"

She shrugged. "What the hell. May as well."

Aang could start to picture how nice this weekend might be. They would practice bending, drink a bit, and swim. They would get to relax from the stress of classes and the attack. He really did have fun with On Ji. Did he love her? No. But he liked her, and she was sweet. Besides, Iroh had suggested he act his age. What was more college kid-like than bringing a girl to Ember Island Weekend?

* * *

When Aang landed on his balcony, he heard the familiar sound of siblings arguing.

"Go home, Katara! You're overreacting."

"No! I should be near you guys just in case."

Sokka groaned loudly. "The Da Li is surrounding this place and Aang is the AVATAR, Katara."

"It doesn't matter- Oh, hey Aang." Katara paused the argument to greet the airbender who slowly opened the door to the balcony. She scrunched her eyebrows together. "You should really keep that locked, you know."

"Katara!" Sokka slapped his forehead. "Aang, tell her she doesn't need to sleep here tonight."

Aang laughed. It was always in Katara's nature to be overprotective and he had stopped trying to fight her on it long ago. He flopped down on the couch. "Sokka, Katara is a grown woman. If she wants to sleep on this dirty couch all night, so be it."

She beamed. "See Sokka? I'm staying." She had obviously already packed for their trip, a bag was waiting by the balcony.

Momo chittered excitedly at Aang's arrival, searching his pockets for treats. "Hey, Momo. Want to go on a trip?"

As they prepared for the trip, Katara started cooking the food she had brought. They wanted to get there as quickly as possible, meaning very few stops. "So…" she started, when Aang dropped a small bag by the balcony and started helping her pack up the food. "Is On Ji coming?"

"Yeah, she is. I can't believe she would come on a trip without knowing the destination."

Katara's heart seized. This was getting painful. She shuddered at the thought of going on vacation with them. She reminded herself that her friend's happiness was important, especially after the attack. "She's cool."

Aang looked up almost happily for a moment, but something in his face faltered. "Really? You think so?"

His eyes on hers made Katara freeze. She didn't know how his impact on her had changed so quickly. It was like he had control over her body. Every time he looked at her now, she couldn't think or breathe or speak. "I mean, I guess, I don't really know her that well, but she seemed nice, um, the other night, and if you like her then she probably can't be that bad, right?"

"Right. She's nice." Aang was socially inept for the most part, but even he knew that Katara's response was weird for someone who was normally so articulate. He chalked up the strangeness to jitters from the attack and continued packing.

Within a few hours, they were all prepped. As if one, the three collapsed on the couch. Katara groaned. "We need to sleep. We have to leave in a few hours."

The boys mumbled in agreement, but none of them moved. Slowly, each of them drifted off into sleep on the couch, Momo curling up in Sokka's lap.

They woke up with a start when there was a loud knock on the door. "Dai Li! On Ji has just arrived, Avatar Aang."

Awoken from his sleep, Sokka slid off the couch to go to the bathroom. Aang was not as quick to wake. He was wonderfully warm. But when he realized why, he nearly jumped sky high. Somehow during the few hours on the couch, Katara had tucked her head under his chin, leaning almost entirely on his chest. Or, maybe he had pulled her in. His arms were around her, locking her in place. He didn't know how it had started. But what he did know was that On Ji was currently in the elevator. He pushed Katara off him lightly. She flushed red realizing the position they were in. Aang stood, laughing a little uncomfortably. A small knock came on the door. "I should get the door for On Ji."

Katara cursed under her breath before grabbing his arm before he couldn't move. Her eyes were wild and unlike her. He couldn't tell for the life of him what was going through her mind. "What is it, Katara?"

"Don't take On Ji."

Her words sliced through him as he looked at her pleading blue eyes. It was like he had just been hit by a brick. Was she saying what he thought she was saying right now? He stared at her, eyes wide in horror, and not sure what to say or do.

Sokka, emerging from the bathroom, opened the door. "Oh hey, On Ji. Come on in."


	7. Ember Island Weekend Part 1

The first leg of their journey to Ember Island had been relatively uneventful and quiet. They set out at first light, just in time to watch the sunrise as they flew away from Ba Sing Se. Most everyone was asleep, but Katara was wide alert with shame. It had only taken a few more moments of wakefulness to realize the awful position she had put him in that morning.

It wasn't the first time they'd woken up accidentally cuddling, but this time when he moved away she felt a rush of panic. Still half asleep, she had lost her determination to let Aang's relationship with On Ji play out. She wanted him back close to her, right then.

On Ji, the only other person awake, watching the sunrise with wide eyes across the saddle. Katara could barely look at her. She was totally unaware of what Katara had dragged her into. How did Katara expect Aang to react? Send On Ji back out the door, saying never mind? Besides, it's not like she'd taken _any other time_ to explain how she felt about him before begging him not to bring her. She had asked him to make a split-second decision, without giving him any context to how she felt. How _did_ she really feel?

She watched the airbender from her seat on the saddle as he steered Appa. Normally cheerful even in the morning, he faced forward, unmoving and silent in meditation. The light that morning had taken on an ethereal glow. She felt like they were going in slow motion, her hair streaming behind her and his robes moving with the wind. It almost didn't feel real.

It was times like these that Aang longed for the simplicity of the Southern Air Temple. Life with the monks had been serene. His biggest worries were making sure he didn't oversleep for the morning ceremony and working towards becoming a master (which at the time, he thought could be done at any pace he wanted). He wasn't sure he wanted to know what Katara meant earlier. He had spent months, _months_ trying to push his feelings for her. She rejected him, and that was all he needed to know. She was his best friend and he respected her decision. He had accepted that their flirtation was just part of their friendship, not an indicator of her feelings for him. And yes, he'd indulge himself in flirting back every now and then even still, but the reality of his feelings was something he was trying to put in a firmly shut box.

He'd been doing a great job! He let himself mope in Jeong Jeong's remote sanctuary. When he returned, he rebuilt their friendship, trying to make it clear to Katara that nothing had to change. Toph mentioning Katara's jealousy poked a hole in the tidy self-created ignorance he was living in.

As the day wore on, Katara noticed that Aang was avoiding her with increasing regularity. If this wasn't highly disturbing to her, she would have been impressed that he managed to do it within the saddle of a bison. Even when she started serving food, he didn't look her in the eye when he thanked her. Katara felt herself wanting to curl into herself more and more each time he brushed her off.

After a grueling day of flying, They landed in Omashu. Servants ushered them towards bedrooms and Appa settled into a nearby field. Aang opted to go find King Bumi, and everyone else settled into the rooms they had been given. Everyone besides Zuko.

Zuko had a bit of an ulterior motive when it came to Omashu that he hadn't told anyone. He knocked on the blinds of a window, one that he had snuck in a few times before. When its occupant opened the window, he was instantly pulled in and thrown to the floor, a knife above his face.

"Zuko!" His attacker enveloped him in a hug. "You could have just come through the front door!"

Zuko laughed in between the kisses he was planting on her cheeks and jawline. "No, Mai, I couldn't. I'm kind of on a mission."

"Mission?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you can't tell anyone I was here. But, I was hoping you'd do me one better."

She kissed him lightly.

"Come with me! We'll only be gone for a week and some."

"What? Zuko, I can't. How would it look if the ambassador's daughter just up and left?"

He gave her a look. "You'll be with me, I'll tell him after. They can do without you for a week. Come on."

She smiled a small smile. "Okay, help me pack."

* * *

The next day, Aang was still so out of sorts that he almost didn't notice they had an extra passenger for Appa. "Uh, Zuko?"

"Oh, right. This is Mai. Mai, this is Avatar Aang." Zuko put his arm around her, pulling her closer.

Aang bowed respectfully. "Well, the more the merrier. Everyone ready?"

Aang was in considerably lighter spirits, despite his head still being in the clouds. Seeing his friend King Bumi had helped clear his head, at least enough that he didn't want to jump off of the bison the entire way. Like Aang, Bumi was someone who had a big title despite his young age. He was only a few years older than Aang, and knew _all_ about his feelings for Katara given that they had spent the summer there with him when he taught Aang earthbending. When Aang told him about his predicament, Bumi merely cackled.

"You have two girls, Aang, what's the problem?" he had said when he could breathe again.

Aang leveled a glare at his friend, who was splayed out on a fancy couch. "I don't _have_ Katara, or On Ji, for that matter."

"Only an airbender would stress about this," Bumi said. "So do what you do best - evade and avoid! And take a trick out of my book, wait! Didn't I teach you anything?" He took a bite of genomite with a crunch.

Once Aang had Appa in the right direction, he floated himself back to the saddle, where everyone was playing some games. Toph had supplied them with a few flasks for the road. He slid in next to On Ji and let his arm drape behind her on the edge of the saddle. Aang ignored the feeling of Katara's eyes on him. He knew they'd need to talk eventually about whatever she meant, but he was going to ignore that fact as long as possible.

Toph on the other hand was reveling in some of the awkwardness, privy to more of her friends' feelings than most of them probably knew. She kept elbowing Katara, joking about how they were the two singles of the group now. Suki sent a sympathetic glance Katara's way every so often, but she also felt responsible for On Ji. She knew other than Katara she was by far the easiest to talk to in the group, but Katara wasn't her usual chatty self.

When Katara went to steer Appa, presumably to avoid Toph, Aang took a long pull from a flask. Having a couple drinks always made him feel antsy. Normally, he'd deal with that by dancing, but it wasn't something he could do on Appa's saddle.

He smiled expectantly at On Ji instead. "Have you ever been flying?"

On Ji gestured around them. "We're on a flying bison."

"Yeah, yeah, okay, but sitting in a saddle is different than actually flying. Do you trust me?"

"I mean I guess bu-" On Ji screamed when Aang picked her up without warning and jumped off of Appa.

Appa made an annoyed grunt as if tired of Aang's antics. Unfortunately, that meant that Katara's attention was turned to Aang flying through the clouds just below them with a giggling On Ji holding on for dear life. He grinned and took them down through a cloud, out of Katara sight.

Katara remembered the first time Aang had taken her flying. She had been apprehensive, but he'd encouraged her until she was brave enough to do it. There was a phase, just before their kiss, where Katara would beg him to take her almost every day. Her heart squeezed, thinking about how it must have made him feel at the time, and how much more it must have hurt when she pulled away. Katara closed her eyes tightly, trying to focus on the air going by her.

* * *

A few hours later, a very exhausted Team Avatar landed at Ember Island by the Fire Nation royalty's house. And from above, it was clear that they had never been around so much debauchery before. They could see crowds of college-aged students on the beach already, music blasting. There even appeared to be multiple stages for concerts spread out on the long beach. Mai groaned loudly. "I can't believe you brought me to the worst place in the Fire Nation, Zuko."

Katara decided it would be best for all involved if she took a quick nap after their long trip. She knew she made a good choice when she awoke feeling a little lighter and with a pleasant feeling in her body. Stretching, she walked into the common room to find most everyone in a heated game of 21. Aang had just waddled like a penguin, On Ji said 17, Suki slapped herself, and Sokka, incredibly and obviously drunk, said 20. Everyone yelled "IT WAS 19, SOKKA!" at once, and he passionately defended his honor while taking a sip of his drink. Katara laughed and shook her head, intent on getting a drink for herself. As she walked to the kitchen, though, she found Zuko looking up at a painting.

"Is that your family, Zuko?"

He turned, jumping lightly at Katara's entrance. "Yeah, when I was little." There was a portrait of the family, who Katara assumed to be his mother, father, sister, and a small Zuko.

She could sense his energy was off and decided to poke the bear. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, giving her a small smile. "I'm past it."

Katara realized she had never really heard about the Fire Lady before, though it had never struck her as odd until now. "Is that your mom?"

Zuko's expression darkened. "Yes, Ursa. She's gone."

"I'm sorry, Zuko." She touched her necklace, a habit she had developed whenever she thought of her own mom. "My mom is gone too."

He looked up, surprised. "Really?"

"It was a long time ago."

"It's still hard. I'm sorry."

"Are you close to your family?" Katara could tell he still had something on his mind.

Zuko chuckled for a moment before answering. "Besides Uncle Iroh, not at all. We don't get along."

"I'm glad you have Iroh. Do you want to come get a drink with me? I make a mean margarita." She smiled at him, hoping her invitation might help his mood. Zuko took one last look at the painting before following Katara towards the kitchen.

* * *

A few rounds of 21 later, and the Gaang was thoroughly wasted. Katara felt the alcohol flowing through her, making her giggle. Sokka was his usual overly affectionate self, all over Suki who kept pushing him off to do TikTok dances uninterrupted. Zuko and Mai were the only ones who seemed mostly unchanged, though Zuko was certainly smiling a lot more. On Ji seemed to be handling her alcohol the best, trying to corral Aang as he ran around the apartment with Momo. Toph sat up and took another swig of her beer. "I think we should hit the beach."

Sokka whirled around towards her. "Aren't we trying to stay in cog- incong- in cognito?"

Suki laughed, looking down at the beach. "We should gooooo. I think I see some friends down there."

Katara already started walking down towards the ocean: the water had been calling her for an hour now. "Barely anyone will recognize us here," she said over her shoulder as she bounced down the steps.

Toph stumbled after her, using earthbending to keep her upright. "Sweetness has the right idea! Hey Twinkle Toes, grab that last flask for us."

He saluted her from his air scooter, heading towards the flask. "Aye-aye, Sifu Rocks."

Even though they had all seen the beach from above, it was immediately clear that they were in over their heads. People had brought speakers as big as Toph. Aang noticed right away how the music thudded in his chest, disorienting him slightly. He couldn't imagine how Toph must have felt, but she seemed to be managing.

By now it was late afternoon, and the haze of sunset had begun to settle over the island. Aang's eyes were naturally drawn to the waterbender he knew so well in the sea, pulling the water up towards her lightly as she walked further into the surf. The falling sun cast a golden hue on her skin, making her glow.

Toph hit Aang lightly, punching just past him due to the alcohol. "You're staring."

"Was I?" Aang rubbed the back of his neck, still finding it difficult to take his eyes off her as she sunk under the water. On Ji had run off a few minutes before, having seen friends a few hundred yards away.

"Teo! My LITTLE!" Sokka ran towards the other end of the beach, spotting his little in the crowd. He tackled him to the ground, leaning on him and his cane heavily to get up.

"Hey, guys!" Haru came out of the crowd of what was clearly a large portion of Sokka's fraternity. Suki hugged him, having spent many nights around the fraternity house. Though most of the gaang wasn't close to the fraternity brothers, they were very generous with their alcohol regardless. Soon Toph, Suki, and Aang were downing shots and shot-gunning beer with the guys. Aang kept an eye on On Ji, making sure she was okay. She was talking to a group of girls excitedly, holding a drink in her hands. Zuko and Mai were nowhere to be found, probably taking advantage of the empty house. That just left Katara. Aang scanned the beach until he saw Katara sitting in the surf, watching sun drop below the horizon off to the side.

Katara always had a tendency to avoid being in the thick of things, and Aang always loved dragging her back into it. Though he'd promised himself to avoid her where possible, at least until they got off the island, the drinks flowing through his system made the temptation outweigh his conviction.

She was enjoying watching the sun cast sparkles across the ocean. Katara was sometimes a contemplative drunk, and in this case, found herself thinking about how small she was in the grand scheme. A hand entered her line of view, blurred by the alcohol. "Come on, let's go."

Aang stood above her, a drink in his other hand. She shook her head. A smile was creeping on her face, but her drunk brain didn't want it to. "I'm fine."

"Nope, you're being a killjoy."

Katara's jaw fell open. She was shocked; Aang had never talked to her like that before. He giggled lightly, swaying slightly.

"I brought you tequila and everything!"

She grabbed the drink out of his hand and downed it, thankful that Aang had the foresight to bring a slice of lime. It occurred to her a moment too late that it had probably been passed around random frat boy hands before making it to her, but she shook the thought away. Aang let her lean back for a moment, letting the feeling of the alcohol start burn down her throat. "Okay! Up! Everyone's dancing now."

It was true. The music had continued to blare upbeat and fast. Now that the sun had set further, someone had brought out flashing strobes to the beach, illuminating it with bright colors. He held out his hand again and dragged her towards the crowd. Aang let the lights take over, breathing them in. He had always been a great dancer. It was the Air Nomad in him. He was especially great at helping other people dance, and always tried to make Katara dance throughout their friendship. While he would be lying if his motives weren't somewhat selfish (I mean, had you seen her?), but he liked making her laugh despite herself. He spun her around a few times, letting her become dizzy just to pull her back in. He noted how her eyes reflected the flashing lights, changing their colors every second. The effect was mesmerizing. Firebenders had lit tiki torches all over the beach, further adding to the total disorientation.

Sokka danced his way over, pulling Katara away in a brotherly fashion so they could dance as well. Katara noticed the flashing faces of people she knew around her: Suki, Toph, people she had seen around. She snatched Sokka's drink out of his hand to increase the effect in one big swig. Her moodiness from before had been washed away by the tequila and she embraced the dancing fully. She could feel the sand move under her feet, noting that her partner had changed to Ruon Jian. He hyped her up, spinning her as well before embracing Ty Lee in his side. It wasn't possessive, it was all just in good fun. Katara couldn't remember the last time she had let go so fully, and it was all because of Aang. Wait, where was Aang?

She searched as the world around her spun. It was hard to keep everything level in her sight. Katara stopped to grab another drink when she spotted him with the KWs, shaking his arms desperately in refusal of something. Her drink full, Katara stumbled towards them, laughing at her own clumsy steps in the sand. Yue saw her first and called her name excitedly. "Katara! Body shots!"

Katara made it to them as a girl licked the salt off the neck of a guy she had never seen before, all cheering when she stood up fully. Yue grabbed her, a hint of something in her voice she didn't recognize from her old friend. Though Yue and Sokka had broken up the year before, Katara still saw her from time to time for coffee or a meal. Before Katara could fully process what was going on, her back was on the table all she could see were the blurry stars above her. She sat up, looking at Yue in shock.

Yue clasped her hands together. "I know! Aang, you're up!" Yue ignored the look On Ji gave her in surprise. While she cared about her sorority sister, she had watched Aang and Katara squirm around each other for two years while she dated Sokka. Nothing brought her more joy than stirring the pot when it had come to those two.

Aang brought up his hands again, gesturing to On Ji lightly with his eyes. "Yue, no I-"

Toph, who had seen everything go down, decided she'd add some fuel to the fire. Though they didn't know each other well and were actually polar opposites in most ways, Toph liked what she was seeing, as she, too, loved stirring the pot. "Wow, Aang. What, do you think Katara is unattractive or something?"

Katara turned toward him in feigned hurt, and hand over her heart, though the spinning of the people around her made her immediately forget the slight and smile. The sorority sisters and their dates booed Aang, one even calling him a few choice words. Toph just threw her head back and cackled. Yue sent her an appreciative grin.

Aang's blush was obvious, even in the dark, as it reached his neck. "Toph, of course that's not wha-"

Yue laughed, her plan working even better than she could have imagined. "Then take the shot!" The small group cheered, laughing at his uncomfortable reaction and egging him on. Yue pushed the now reappeared Tequila Katara back onto the table and poured the alcohol down her navel, applying the salt to her neck, and popping a lime in her mouth. Katara could have sworn she saw her wink above her, but everything was moving too fast for her to know for sure.

Aang gulped. He looked to On Ji helplessly, who to her credit, waved him on, shaking her head. There was no getting out of this. Leaning over Katara, he took a deep breath before running his mouth and tongue over her stomach and upwards, taking in the cheap tequila until he reached her neck. The crowd cheered and he faltered slightly, the alcohol deciding to take a leap his sober one would have never dared. Instead of licking her neck like was expected, he pressed a soft kiss to her neck. No one else could have seen it, but it felt like he was there for hours. But it had only been a moment, and he quickly raised himself away from the brief moment of intimacy to take the lime out of her mouth. The cheers of people around them were quieted by his own frantic heartbeat in his ears. He felt their lips touch and could have fainted right there. The atmosphere was overwhelming and his head was spinning. He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her up, helping her off the table. She looked at him, clearly dazed, though he didn't know if it was from the alcohol or the touch of his mouth on her body.

"You okay, Katara?" She looked at him seriously for a moment, eyes wide, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Aang, when did you get so many arrows?"

The tiniest knot formed in his stomach, now realizing her dazed expression was probably from the alcohol. Toph grabbed Katara's other arm and started pulling her away to get her water. When On Ji slipped her hand around his arm, Aang remembered for the first time in a few minutes that she was there. He felt supremely guilty. His lips tingled. He looked Yue's way. _What the hell was that?_ Yue simply shrugged her shoulders with a smirk, as if to say _"I have no idea what you're talking about!"_

Back at the makeshift bar, Katara hesitated to sip the water Toph shoved in her face, strangely reluctant to put anything to her lips after Aang's had been there. She did, though, to cover the shudder that ran through her body when she recalled the rough feeling of his tongue running up her stomach. And - she strained to remember - had he kissed her neck? There's no way he would do that with On Ji only a few feet away, right? She snuck a glance back toward the body shot table. On Ji was gripping his arm, and he was whispering something in her ear. It must have been in Katara's imagination.

* * *

The nearly full moon was reflecting on the water when Suki stumbled onto the sand. She laughed at herself, bringing her hand up to her forehead. There was no silence like the silence after a party. Especially the kind that came after leaving someone's bedroom. She was the only one on the beach for a while, besides a lone guy sitting near the surf.

Suki decided to wade into the water, stripping off her clothes in favor of the bathing suit underneath. When she looked down, she saw her own reflection. Her makeup was smudged, her hair messy. She looked tired and felt grimy. Was this what she looked like now?

She pursed her lips slightly, remembering what they had been doing just a half-hour ago. Suki scrubbed at the makeup on her face, ignoring the sting of the saltwater in her eyes. She felt the need to scrub all of anyone who wasn't Sokka off her skin. Sokka. She sent a prayer up to Kyoshi, hoping that he had passed out and wasn't looking for her.

The guy on the beach seemed to be looking at her now, but she ignored him, letting herself float in the moonlight. Eyes closed, Suki focused on the sound of the surf and the feeling of the water around her ears. When it seemed to get darker, Suki opened one eye. Aang stood over her, blocking out the light. "Suki?"

"Oh." Suki let her feet drift down to stand. "Hey, Aang."

"Are you alright?" She could see the worry in his brow. He was a good friend, she thought coolly.

She nodded, starting to shiver from the cool water. "All good. Crazy night."

"Let's get you inside, I don't want you getting sick." He pulled them towards the shore, waterbending her dry before letting her put her clothes back on. They walked back in silence until they reached the top of the steps to the house. Aang stopped, catching her shoulder. It looked like he was debating whether or not to speak his mind. "I saw you with Haru, Suki."

She sighed, looking down. "I know. I shouldn't have done it. If Sokka knew…"

Aang's eyes widened. "He won't. I don't condone lying, but this is what you both signed up for." His gaze softened. "I'm here to talk about it if you need to."

She smiled. "Thanks. I think it will be okay."

He nodded, opening the door. "Me too." Suki made her way towards her room, pausing suddenly.

"Wait, why were you at the beach, Aang? It's nearly dawn."

He shrugged, a rueful smile on his face. "Just thinking."


	8. Ember Island Weekend Part II

"We're doing this!" Sokka announced a few mornings later as he walked into the dining room with an armful of groceries and a poster in the other.

Katara plucked it from his hands, eyes narrowed. "The Ember Island Bending Competition? Sokka, you aren't even a bender."

He rolled his eyes and snatched it back. "I know that, _Katara_. But I _am_ a gambler. And I'd put a lot of money on Miss Greatest Earthbender in the World over there."

"What makes you think I'd even enter, Snoozles?" Toph blew her hair out of her face in preparation for the fruit he handed her.

"Because I have it on good authority that The Boulder will be competing."

Toph slammed her hands down on the table with a grin on her face. "The Boulder's here? How do I sign up?"

Sokka pumped a fist in the air. He looked at Aang next. "How about the Avatar? I'd put money on the master of all elements too."

Each of his sifus laughed simultaneously, Katara the only one looking a little apologetic. "Sorry Aang, you may be an airbending master but you certainly haven't mastered water yet."

"Ditto on earth, buddy," Toph said, popping a piece of fruit in her mouth.

Aang's hands found his waist, and his mouth opened in mock offense. "If that's how you really feel Sifu Katara, maybe I should join the contest and show you who's mastered the elements."

She knew he was goading her, but it was also working. "You're on, Pupil Aang."

"Is using all the elements cheating?" Suki wondered aloud, but On Ji shook her head.

"Avatar Kuruk competed once when he was alive with all the elements and won," She explained.

Aang grinned at Katara. "It's settled then."

The first night of drinking had put a temporary pause on Aang and Katara's conflict, if it could even be called that. Relieved of their discomfort around each other by the forced closeness of drinking games, both had put Katara's statement before the trip in separate, unreachable boxes.

Instead, the tension was manifesting in competitions of all kinds. Both of them were nursing small headaches from the night before. Aang narrowly beat Katara in a drinking game in which both stood on stools on one foot, and took shots at the same time. He'd won only by shooting a small blast of air her way to throw her off balance, a move she had retaliated against with a water whip to the chest that had sent him falling off his stool as well.

A heated game of beach volleyball had ended in the two just sparring it out with the ocean water, Katara winning with her superior skill in the element. Aang had edged Katara out in a game of charades with his acting abilities. An innocent request for baked goods from Sokka had resulted in a high-stakes cook-off. Katara won mainly because of Aang's difficulty finding the right ingredients for his Air Nomad recipe. They were tied.

All heads turned to Zuko, the final bender among them. "Absolutely not," Zuko stated, shaking his head and leaving the table. "You're all insane."

"Party pooper!" Suki called after him, but he just waved her off.

Once word got out that the young Avatar-in-training had signed up for the competition, sign-ups and betting went wild. Everyone wanted a chance to say they beat the Avatar in a fight, or to watch their friends get beat up by him.

Knowing his new friends would love it, Zuko requested the royal box. With the guest list growing, he eventually had to put his foot down, but it looked like it would be a fun group. Sokka had insisted on inviting his little, and once Mai found out from On Ji that Ty Lee was on the island there was no way she wouldn't be joining as well. Mai and Suki had become fast friends during their time on the island together, finding themselves exchanging glances whenever one of the boys said something dumb, which was quite frequent. Mai had also found herself liking Toph's dry sense of humor and pragmatism as well, though the pair hadn't spoken quite as much on account of both enjoying silence. When Zuko had put a cap on guests, Mai helped Suki add just one more person to the list: Satoru.

Satoru was a family friend of Teo's who went to Ba Sing Se University but hung with a very different crowd. Satoru interned for Teo's father each summer in person and during the semester remotely. When Suki had met him on the beach the day prior, she knew that he and a certain metalbender would get along well.

Because this was to be an all-day affair, the royal box had been filled with all sorts of food, drink, and even games in case anyone got bored. As the crowd lightly filled in, so did the competitors. All the benders competing had to attend the opening ceremony, but the rest of the time they could do what they wished.

"Welcome, everyone, to the 503rd annual Ember Island Bending Competition!" The crowd at this point was mostly made up of family and friends, with the real crowds coming at the end of the night for the top benders. "I have some exciting news for today's matches folks. As many of you are aware, our esteemed Avatar Aang will be joining the contest! He will be the first to do so since Avatar Kuruk. Let's give him a hand!"

Aang waved somewhat awkwardly. He was raised as a monk, after all.

"We also have the future Fire Lord in attendance, Prince Zuko!"

Zuko casually waved from the box, annoyed that he was being brought into the spotlight at all. To properly represent the family he had dressed to the nines with his topknot in place and was already uncomfortable.

" _And_ ladies and gentlemen, Avatar Aang is not the only celebrity to be competing in the competition today. Princess Azula will also be competing, so open your wallets!"

Zuko choked on his fire flakes and looked at Mai with eyes wide. She only shrugged - she didn't know Azula would be there either. Ty Lee leaned to the edge of the box, cheering for Azula to win. Sokka gasped and ran to the front of the box. "I can't believe this! Zuko, how could you not tell me your sister was competing? This is going to mess up all my bets!" Zuko merely grumbled.

He ran out of the box at full speed towards the betting booth before Zuko could answer, but Suki wasn't going to let it go. "You really didn't know your sister would be here?"

Zuko looked almost pained by Azula's appearance. "We aren't exactly close."

"Azula is up first, you guys!" called Ty Lee, turning their attention to the match. It didn't last long. The earthbender she was facing had to be taken off the field with his burns towards the medical tent.

"Look who I found!" Sokka strolled in with his arms around the shoulders of Aang and Teo, who smiled at his excitement. Satoru awkwardly followed behind.

Suki immediately noticed his discomfort. "Satoru! It's so good to see you. Come sit over here!" He took his place in one of the seats near Suki, grateful for her intervention. Together they introduced him to everyone there.

Aang settled in next to On Ji as Momo hopped from his perch on Suki's chair to his shoulders. "It was so cool to see you like that Aang," On Ji said, scratching Momo behind the ears. "Everyone all excited to see the Avatar."

He really didn't like the attention. Once his status as the Avatar had been announced, even his friends at the air temple had trouble seeing him as just Aang. He knew it wasn't their fault, and he didn't blame them. They had to reconcile the new role their friend held with the boy they'd grown up with.

When he had met Katara in the South Pole it was like he could breathe again. Because they were students together, and because of her down-to-earth nature, he finally had a friend who saw all of him without awkwardness or the fakeness others had given him. Even better, he'd found a brother in Sokka who seemed to lack the socially appropriate reverence for all important political figures. With Toph's social standing and standoffishness, Suki's leadership of the Kyoshi Warriors, and Zuko literally being a prince, his group of friends was one where their status didn't matter.

Sokka stood up with a start, his snacks falling all by his feet. "THAT'S MY SISTER! Katara is next, guys." Sokka cheered obnoxiously and ignored Suki's laughter. "GO KATARA! KILL HIM!'"

The day went by quickly with the various Team Avatar competitors filtering in and out of the box for their matches, Suki talking up Toph to Satoru, Mai whispering to Ty Lee, and Sokka screaming. Zuko was miserably sipping on tea in the back. He knew it was only a matter of time before -

"Zuzu! Fancy seeing you here." His sister stood at the door of the royal box, decked in her usual red and black armor. He groaned inwardly.

"'Zula!" Ty Lee leaped from her spot next to Mai to hug Azula. "You looked great out there! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

She picked at her nails, allowing Ty Lee to kiss her on the cheek. "Yes, well, it was last minute. Lo and Li said I should enter for practice so we took a balloon over." She smirked for a second. "And it is pretty fun reminding peasant benders of their place."

Aang stood and bowed to Azula. "It's nice to finally meet you, Princess Azula. I'm Avatar Aang."

"I'm not an idiot like my brother, Avatar. I know who you are. I'm sure it will be me and you at the end tonight, anyway. Don't worry," she said, leaning towards him. "I'll go easy on you."

Aang laughed nervously and scooted back towards Sokka. He leaned in close to whisper in Sokka's ear. "Is it just me, or is she kind of...scary?"

Sokka's eyes were trained on the match in front of him, The Boulder versus a waterbender. "Who?"

" _Azula_ , Sokka." Sokka looked behind him briefly before doing a double-take. He screamed lightly and fell off the chair when he made eye contact with Azula. "Oh, spirits." He turned back to Aang and nodded vigorously. "Yes."

Azula just took in the spectacle with a look of disdain on her face. "Is he always like that?"

Ty Lee smiled and handed her a fire gummy. "Oh who cares, he's nice to look at." Sokka grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. Azula shrugged after giving him another look, not disagreeing. Suki just rolled her eyes.

"Suki!" She looked up from the drink she'd been nursing for the voice, but didn't find it.

"Hey, Suki!" It came from the stands below the box. It was Chan. "Come join us down here!" Suki looked up at the still blushing Sokka and at a fully distracted Toph listening to an animated Satoru. Aang looked at her, an eyebrow raised, but she ignored him. Why not?

She walked past Azula and her reunited fire nation friends and made her way down to where Chan had been. He smiled at her in greeting. "Suki, you're just in time! I didn't know you'd be on the island. Look what I just got us." She peered at the bag he held out. It was filled with a small amount of light pink powder.

"Is that what I think it is, Chan?"

"Yep! It's zank." Zank was made from a Fire Nation plant called zankan cherry. Its leaves were soaked in oil and then dried into light pink bricks. Those bricks were broken up into small amounts and sold all around the world for a steep profit. Suki had always wanted to try it but was afraid of its rumored addictiveness. And anyway, the Dai Li had been cracking down on the Zank market in Ba Sing Se. "Don't worry though, my guy is good."

Suki considered for a moment before letting a small smile come onto her face. They _were_ supposed to have fun. Trying it one time wouldn't be a huge deal. "Are we going to do it right here?"

Chan's friend laughed. "No, of course not. We're about to take it to a club next door. They're chill about this sort of thing, and we can dance on the beach while we wait for the semi-finals."

* * *

When the zank hit the back of Suki's sinuses, a wave of euphoria hit her head all at once. It made her dizzy and the hand holding the rolled-up paper grabbed Chan's muscled arm to steady herself. He cheered and high-fived her. "I had no idea you were this cool, Suki."

She laughed. She knew it was in jest, even if it sounded mean. "Thanks?" Everything around her was moving fast and it felt like so was she. She looked down at her arms and giggled. She'd just done zank.

Chan whooped as he took his much larger line, and threw his arm around her clumsily. "Let's hit the beach!"

Suki felt so totally energized in a way that she never had before. The taste of zank that dripped from her sinuses down her throat was disgusting, but she couldn't get over how wonderful her head felt. It was like a hit of nicotine but even better. _Zank zank zank_. Her brain matched the thoughts to the thudding of her blood in her head. She danced like she never had before. Everything was so clear but she felt amazing. She danced with Chan, she danced with his friend, and she danced with people she'd never met. And she was dancing incredibly! Her feet moved fast and she wasn't getting tired.

There was just one problem: she found herself missing Sokka. She tried to push the thoughts of him out of her mind, but he kept inching his way back, even managing to sneak past the _zank_ s repeating in her mind. She could practically hear him calling her name. _Suuuuuki!_ She focused on her dance with Chan, the music thudding in her chest.

"Suki! Where are you?" She froze for a second, that wasn't in her head. Turning around, she saw Sokka calling for her on the beach.

Suki set off in a sprint towards him and jumped into his arms. "Sokka! I missed you."

He stumbled backward but managed to stay upright, wrapping his arms around her waist. "What are you doing here, Suki? You just left the box without saying anything."

She suddenly felt a little bashful. "Oh, sorry. I was just meeting up with some friends. We just came to dance out here for a little while." Suki's grimace turned into a grin. "I missed you. I'm glad you found me."

"Hey, Suki, what are you doing over there?" Chan called, and a few of his friends started chanting her name.

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "These guys are your friends? I didn't know you partied with the FFs."

She knew what he was implying, and rolled her eyes. The FFs were notorious for being rich assholes that partied harder than most of the fraternities at Ba Sing Se University. They were known for being adventurous with drugs, and not the safest group for girls to be around. And he was right, but Chan, at least, wasn't like that as far as she knew. "You know I don't usually party with them. It was just a few friends, they aren't really like the rest of them. Besides, it's Ember Island Weekend!"

"Why are you talking so fast, Suki? You're going a mile a minute." Sokka let her slide back down to a standing position, and pulled back to regard her curiously.

She faltered for a moment, nearly giggling but wanting to tell him the truth. His gaze hardened. "What did they give you?"

Suki smiled nervously. "Zank?"

Sokka looked angry and looked back towards the FFs. "Sokka, come on. You know me, they didn't force me to do anything and couldn't. I wanted to try it, we were just having fun."

He nodded, any anger subsiding quickly. Instead, a sly grin snuck on his face. "Well, how is it?"

Suki kissed Sokka on the cheek. "On a scale from nothing to cactus juice? Definitely around cactus juice. Different, though." She got a look in her eye that Sokka knew to be wary of. "I have an idea. I'll be back in a sec."

Suki bounded back towards the FFs and hugged a few of them, letting them wrap their arms suggestively around her strong frame. Sokka felt a flare of jealousy roll through his stomach, and he curled a hand into a fist to use the extra energy. She ran back to Sokka and grabbed his hand to pull him back towards the arena. He laughed but her pace was making his stomach cramp from all the food he'd eaten earlier. "Suki slow down, please! Why are you making us run?"

She held a small bag with pink powder between her fingers and waved it in the air. "Didn't want to be around when they realized it was missing."

Sokka's hand hit his forehead. "So you went back to pickpocket?"

Her mouth opened at the accusation. "I'm an elite warrior trained in the art of stealth… Of course, I know how to pickpocket!" she finished, innocently.

"You are an amazing woman. Let's go back to the box and tell Toph."

They walked, hand in hand, back up the stairs to their friends just as the final match-ups were being announced for the quarter-finals. Toph jeered just as they passed the threshold. "Wipe the floor with him, Sweetness, yes!"

Katara was fighting against The Boulder for her quarter-final match. It was obvious her sparring with Toph had paid off, as she was easily able to knock him backward. Suki's head was starting to hurt a little, and the effects of the Zank were mostly wearing off. She poured herself a cup of green tea to soothe her head.

The match was called in Katara's favor, and next up was Azula versus a waterbender Aang and Katara knew well from being students together. Katara slumped down next to Aang on the bench, On Ji occupied with Ty Lee by the table of food, which was now being swapped out for dinner food.

"I am so tired." Katara groaned.

"Already coming up with reasons not to fight me in the final round? I see what you're doing, Katara. I'd be pretty afraid to fight me too." Aang laughed good-naturedly as she punched his arm.

Azula let out a grunt as she sent a huge wave of fire toward her opponent, destroying the funnel of water he had been standing on, and sending him crashing to the floor. Katara and Aang exchanged a nervous glance. "Maybe we won't have to worry about fighting each other, because it looks like I'm set to face Azula in the semi-finals." She nodded up towards the board where Azula's name was being put forward.

"Oh come on, Katara, you're going to do great. You even practiced with Zuko the other day." She felt a rush of nerves at his ardent belief in her.

She opened her mouth to reply, but On Ji slipped into Aang's lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "What about Zuko?"

Katara looked out back towards the arena where Toph was warming back up, unable to look at On Ji in his lap.

"Oh, I was just telling Katara that she shouldn't worry about her match against Azula." He nudged her arm, shifting On Ji in his lap. "And besides Katara, you should really be worried about me. I'm the one who has to go up against Sifu Toph if I win my next match."

She snorted as Toph sent an opponent flying into the crowd, getting a penalty called. Toph's hands shot into the air, yelling something at the referee about her blindness. "You're right. It could be way worse. Now go! Your match is up next."

"Good luck, cutie." On Ji planted a kiss on his temple as he shifted her onto the bench to get up.

He smiled big.

 _Cutie?_ Katara could have gagged at the oogies. His smile at the nickname made her feel sick. She slowed her breathing and willed the green monster to go away.

"You're going to do great next round Katara, you're such an amazing waterbender. I just know it!" On Ji said encouragingly.

She really was so genuinely nice. It made Katara's stomach tighten. She forced out a smile. "Thanks, I hope so."


	9. Ember Island Weekend Part III

Katara steadied her breath and kept the water swirling around her like a ring circling a planet. Azula was taking a moment to collect herself too, but within a moment it was back on. Katara unleashed a barrage of ice spikes from the water in front of her, forcing Azula to leap out of the way in a series of acrobatics that rivaled even Aang's. The crowd cheered as Azula hit back with a few well-placed fire fists.

Aang worked on clenching and unclenching his jaw while he watched the fight play out. He and Toph were waiting on the sidelines just below, with On Ji as the self-appointed moral support while they waited for their own match. He hated seeing Katara fight. Well, that wasn't true. He loved seeing her with her element, and he knew that she loved it. But seeing her against someone like Azula unnerved him.

Toph graciously (and surprisingly) did not comment on his anxiety, but On Ji noticed it right away. She gripped his arm and shook him a little to get his attention. "Relax, Aang." She laughed at his nerves. "Look at her, she's fine."

It was true. Katara had managed to tire Azula out while keeping her at a distance. With an arm of water, she lifted Azula by a leg and slammed her back into the ground. Finally, after the longest match yet, it was called in Katara's favor. Sokka's cheering could be heard even from where Toph and Aang stood, making all of them laugh.

Katara walked her way over to them, hands on her hips and still breathing a little hard. "Fuck that," she breathed when she made it to her friends.

"You killed that, Sweetness." Toph smirked, punching her on the shoulder from her seat on the bench.

She looked up and smiled. "You're welcome. Now you only have me to worry about."

Aang could see Azula behind her, yelling at who he assumed were her firebending instructors. As Toph walked off to talk to her old friend, The Boulder, On Ji gushed to Katara. "You make me wish I was a bender! You make it look so graceful." Katara flushed from the attention and looked at Aang to diffuse the situation for her but his gaze was trained just behind Katara's right ear.

Before either of them could react, Aang had sent the two girls tumbling backward with a blast of air. Katara managed to right herself but still went flying. His remaining hand caught the lightning Azula had intended for Katara and let it leave his body up towards the sky, the arena flashing as it dissipated. The energy that had flowed through his body was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. It was over in an instant, Toph had encased her limbs in rock. Azula looked annoyed but was still calm and without remorse. But the peace-loving monk felt something he hadn't really felt before and the flickering of a bright light blocked his vision.

She had gone after Katara. He was going into the Avatar State.

**(TW: Brief mention of sexual assault)**

He'd gone into it before but never had been able to control it. The first time had been a nightmare. At a frat party freshman year, he'd turned a corner and found a nearly unconscious Katara pinned to a wall. Explaining why he had leveled a frat house to the ground had been awkward to explain to the university.

**(All good)**

He could feel the arena shake under his feet and gripped the sides of his head. It always felt like his head would explode with all the energy at once. Before he went over the edge of control, he felt warm, grounding arms around him. His breathing slowed and the barrage of voices in his head released their hold on his body.

Aang hugged Katara back, who had been holding him fiercely from the moment she had stood back up. "There you are," she said, letting out a hard breath.

Azula, having been freed from her bonds, walked by them on her way out. "Relax, Avatar. I was only aiming for her shoulder."

Toph walked up to the pair, a look of disdain on her face as they watched her leave. "Talk about unhinged, jeez."

Zuko ran up to them in a fashion probably a bit unbecoming of the crown prince. "Aang, are you okay?"

He nodded, though his iron grip around Katara hadn't faltered. That smell of her hair was so calming, even though she was totally sweaty. "Good thing you taught me that redirection this week, Sifu Hotman." He let out a laugh. "Sorry, Katara. That caught me by surprise."

"Me too. Appreciate the save, though…" she looked towards the door and smirked. "Sore loser." For a moment, Katara let herself enjoy the feeling of his arms, the heartbeat on his neck.

Suki cleared her throat, bringing their attention to where she was crouched next to On Ji. She was still sitting by the wall of the arena where Aang's air blast had sent her. He reluctantly extricated him from Katara's embrace to follow Suki's lead. Katara wrapped herself in her own arms, hugging herself to make up for the loss of his.

"Are you okay?" Aang held a hand out to On Ji. "I'm sorry that was a little rough, I hope you know I wasn't trying to hurt either of you," he said gently.

On Ji gripped his hand, nodding. She was shaking slightly. "Yeah, yeah. I just wasn't expecting it, I guess. Is she always like that?"

Zuko sighed, a little exasperated. "Azula isn't used to losing."

"I see why you don't get along," Sokka said in a high-pitched voice.

Suki quickly forced herself to brighten. "But Aang here saved the day, so we can forget all about her now. And there's a bottle of vodka with our name on it back in the box!"

Aang and Suki helped On Ji up on shaky legs, and he blew the dust off her clothes and hair. An official ran up to the whole group, clearly in a panic. "Avatar Aang, we are so sorry for that. We have voted unanimously to give you as much time as you need before your match with Toph Beifong."

He rubbed On Ji's arm lightly and shook his head with a smile. He felt "Don't worry about it. I think we could all use 15 minutes." He bowed to the official. "Thank you for your generosity." The official nodded, starting back towards the referee booth.

"I don't know Twinkle Toes. I'm ready to go right now!" Toph challenged.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Toph, because you aren't the one who was literally struck by lightning five minutes ago." Her arms had been around him just a few minutes before, so she knew that he was feeling a little weak.

Aang laughed and clasped his hands together. "I actually feel okay now, but I really asked for that 15 minutes because I thought we could all do for a shot. Toph?"

"Oh yeah, let's make our match a little more interesting."

After depositing On Ji into the care of Katara, Suki, and Ty Lee, and all taking a shot (or in On Ji's case, a few), Toph and Aang faced each other in the arena. Like the match before, it was long but much more lighthearted. After training together for well over a year, the two knew each other's moves well. Sokka had bet heavily on Toph and was making that quite obvious from the Royal Box. Suki noticed with excitement how Satoru hung on Toph's every move, tensing before each blow he thought might land. But after a long back and forth, Aang managed to clip Toph on the shoulder with a well-directed slice of air from his scooter, and the match was called in his favor. She grumbled but accepted his hand up.

They broke for dinner, as the final match wouldn't be until that evening when most people were off from work and they could rake in the most ticket sales. When Aang and Toph returned to the Royal Box, Sokka was waiting for them. "I can't believe you, Aang! Do you know how much money I just lost? And Toph, really? Taken out by a little bit of air? Seriously!"

Aang brought up his hands in defense. "Sokka, I also bet against myself in this match, I can't believe I managed to hit her either."

Toph punched his arm. "Yeah, that's right. It won't happen _ever_ again, Airhead."

They sat down at the table for a nice dinner of roasted duck and tofu with all sorts of sides. Sokka was quickly able to forget his losses at the betting booth as he stuffed his face. Aang was happy to see that On Ji seemed to be in much higher spirits than before, even if she was a little drunk. Quickly, the collective intoxication of the group had increased markedly and speculation about who would win became the main topic of conversation.

"I'm sorry sis," Sokka said, his hands up. "You know I think you're a better waterbender than Aang but he's got three more elements on his side." Sokka shrugged but winced slightly at Katara's shocked response.

She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into her chair. "Wow, Sokka. And to think I ever washed your clothes during the semester."

Ty Lee giggled. "You really don't do your own laundry?" The women at the table, and Zuko, suddenly turned on him, admonishing him for his lack of adult skills.

"Well, _I_ think she's got this one in the bag." Toph declared, grabbing a roasted duck leg with her hand.

Katara grinned. "Thank you, Toph."

"What makes you so sure, Toph?" Teo asked, balancing a spoon in his hand. "I think I might be with Sokka on this one."

"Oh, what," Suki started, narrowing her eyes at Teo. "You don't think a girl could win?"

A drunken set of _ooh's_ washed over the table as he threw his hands in the air. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I never said that, _Suki_. I just think that Aang might possess a tactical advantage given the fact that he can bend more than just water!"

Now it was Katara's turn to raise an eyebrow. " _Just_ water?"

Teo clapped his hands over his face. "I'm going to stop talking now."

Aang patted Teo on the back. "We're just teasing you, Teo."

"Team Katara!" On Ji said, raising her sloshing glass with a giggle. Suki, Katara, Teo (mainly out of fear), Ty Lee, and Toph raised their glasses as well.

Aang turned back towards his date, feigning offense. "I can't believe you would say that after I saved your life today, On Ji."

She made a face. "Azula was aiming for Katara, anyways." He laughed and squeezed her hand under the table. He was glad she could joke about what had happened.

Ty Lee turned to Mai. "Who do you think will win?"

"I really don't care who wins." Mai took a bite of the fruit tart in front of her, leaning back into Zuko's chest.

Ty Lee rolled her eyes but still smiled. "And you, Zuko?"

Zuko groaned, not wanting to get on anyone's bad side as always. "Well I know the arguments for Aang winning, but what are they for Katara, Toph? I haven't been around you guys as long."

Toph snorted and started laughing. "I just think she'll win this one." Her and Suki exchanged a glance and both burst into drunken laughter again.

"Am I missing something?" Aang asked, looking suspiciously at Katara who only shrugged, unsure herself.

Zuko just looked at her imploringly as the rest of the table pushed Toph to explain herself. In a rare show of physical touch, she and Suki were grabbing each other as they laughed. Satoru started a light chanting of her name until she finally relented. "Okay, okay, okay, enough. Come on, we all know Aang turns into a puddle around Sugar Queen." Katara loudly choked on her drink, and the table fell into a moment of silence as Aang felt his face redden and On Ji's grip on his hand falter.

Luckily, they were saved from the moment when the same official from before poked his head into the room. "We're starting to get ready, are you two ready to go?"

"Yep!" Katara stood up quickly and walked out the door.

Aang took a long last sip of his water before grinning at the group. "See you guys in a bit!"

Unfortunately, both contenders were distracted by Toph's comments as they walked into the arena to begin their match.

_He doesn't turn into a puddle around me, come on. How would we get any training done? And he's practically dating On Ji anyway._

_I do_ not _turn into a puddle around Katara. Just because she's beautiful doesn't mea- focus, Aang!_

"Welcome back, folks!" The announcers now boomed over the arena so they could be heard over the crowd. "Tonight, Avatar Aang faces his beautiful waterbending master, Master Katara for the finale! Who will win?"

Katara rolled her eyes, sending a glare toward the announcers' booth. They walked towards each other in the center of the ring smiling as they bowed.

"Sifu," Aang said respectfully as he leaned towards her - eyes twinkling, Katara noticed, but quickly shook it off.

"Avatar Aang." She laughed. They straightened back up and walked back towards the starting positions. Katara was wearing her usual light blue dress, slits up to her waist to accommodate her deep bending stances. Aang wore only his pants, as he usually did for training.

The bell rang and Katara was immediately on the offense. Water crashed over his head, but he was able to ride it out with a well-timed burst of air and a water surfboard before making the earth under her feet shake and break apart. She took the opportunity to freeze ice under her feet and ride it back toward Aang. The crowd cheered, its swelled size making the roar almost deafening.

Katara's hair whipped around behind her and Aang almost couldn't help but smile. It was quickly wiped off his face when a dozen spindles of water whipped straight at his chest, sending him flying. He rolled and lifted a rock into the air, kicking it back toward her. Katara spun, letting the rock fly past her head as she brought a wave behind Aang's back. He redirected it towards her, breaking apart bits of the ice wave she balanced on.

Their fight was playful, like with Aang and Toph's, but there was an edge to it that neither had felt in their previous matches. Their competition the last few days was now coming to a head and they both felt it. Bending cleared the mind but it also opened a pathway for the pent-up frustration they had both been feeling. Katara and Aang hit harder than they usually did. Each was surprised by the others' intensity. It was like they were speaking through their bending. She could feel her unjustified resentment towards Aang for "choosing" On Ji rise as she worked with her natural element, and Aang could feel his frustration about her mixed signals and his stubborn feelings for her, his bending tending toward the more rooted elements like earth.

Katara shot up a spike of ice, and Aang tumbled off of his air wheel. He caught himself with a roll and pushed off the ground with an earthbending boost. Katara sent a stream of water to where he landed, but instead of landing, he sunk completely into the ground. She looked around, maintaining her stance but waiting for any sign of movement.

Unfortunately for Katara, it came from behind her, and Aang spun her around and knocked her onto her back before she could react. Though he held a fire knife to her neck, he was kind enough to cushion their fall with a small blast of air.

Their chests touched, most of his weight pushing down so she couldn't move. Aang felt his feelings dissipate almost instantly when he felt her heartbeat under his. He looked at her, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face. She tried to move her arm to bend, but she was pinned. Her face pinched together in frustration, cheeks red from their sudden closeness, but the pit in her stomach unraveled. The bell rang. Aang smiled and Katara pushed him off, shoving him on the shoulder slightly with a laugh.

"You're still not a master waterbender, even if you did get me, _that time._ " The pair helped each other up, Aang laughing at her retort. He bowed, smiling, and pulled her into a hug.

"Avatar Aang is the winner of the competition!" The official from before ran into the arena, pushing a wreath of flowers around his neck and a microphone in his hand. "What do you have to say, Avatar?"

He looked back at Katara, and up at his friends in the booth. "Well, thank you, everyone, it was a lot of fun. Everyone I faced was a great bender! But I can assure you, this was definitely a fluke. Either of my masters normally would have kicked my ass. I lost a lot of money betting against myself tonight!" Katara laughed next to him, and the crowd rumbled. "I'm completely humbled to serve as your Avatar, and I hope I can serve you well. Have a good night!"

Aang slung a friendly arm around Katara's shoulders as they sauntered back to the box, and gave her the wreath around his neck. She flushed at the show of intimacy. "Yeah, I'll kick your ass next time."

* * *

The final evening of their trip, Sokka convinced everyone to join him for a pro-bending night on the beach, an elaborately planned screening.

With the (forced) help of Teo, he had set up a bed of blankets and pillows on the beach in front of Zuko's home. It faced a blow-up movie screen he had found in town, and he enlisted Suki and Katara to help him make a huge spread of food and Toph to provide copious amounts of alcohol.

As the sun fell, friends and others they had met throughout the week slowly trickled in. Even Satoru showed, much to Katara and Suki's excitement. Sokka and Aang took over bartending, handing out drinks left and right until the match was going to start. As the announcers came on, Sokka stepped in front of the screen.

"Alright everybody, you don't know this, but we placed all these cushions very intentionally! There is a great divide here!"

No one laughed at his half joke so he continued. "I hope you are all ready to drink, we're playing pro-beering, AKA the pro-bending drinking game. Instead of taking players, each side will take a team. Rules are simple: anyone on your side gets knocked back, take a sip; any time your team loses a point, take a drink; and every time your team loses a match, finish your drink or take a shot!"

"What do we get if we win?" Toph asked in her unconvincing "other person" voice.

Sokka grinned, wheels turning. "I'm glad you asked, Not Toph. The winners get… drunk? A date with Appa?"

Aang called back without even looking up from his pouring. "Appa's taken, Sokka."

Sokka's hands raised in the air in defeat. "Alright, alright, we'll figure something out. Cheers!" Sokka settled into a set of pillows where Suki and Katara sat, throwing an arm around Suki just as the first round began.

On Ji let out a small scream as Aang landed next to her with drinks in hand.

"I'm sorry," Aang laughed. "I forgot you're not used to my airbending."

She plucked the drink out of his hand. "Oh, I think we'll have time for that." On Ji smiled and pulled him in for a long kiss. Aang sighed. She was great! This was great. He pulled her closer on the pillows they were sharing and turned to the screen.

The match was nearly even, meaning that both sides had to drink quite a lot. Ruon Jian and Chan yelled at the screen, Ty Lee laughing and pointing when they had to drink. Katara rolled her eyes as Sokka screamed as if the players could hear him. But that was her brother.

"Ooooooh Toph! Smoochie smoochie, someone's in loooove!" Sokka jeered at her while Suki tried to pull him back down. That was her brother too. All attention turned to Toph, who was cuddled up with Sarotu in front of Aang and On Ji. He cried out as a rock hit him in the back of the head, making him fall face-first into the sand.

Mai turned toward Toph with an actual smile. "Finally, something fun to watch."

"You had that one coming, Sokka," Aang called, sitting up from his position with On Ji.

At that moment, Katara realized that of the entire crew, she was the only one alone.

Aang knew exactly what On Ji was doing. He felt her press closer to him, run her fingers lightly just at the edge of appropriateness. She nuzzled his neck and let her breath linger there. Their drunkenness made it tingle ever so slightly more than usual. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying it. In the privacy of their pillow nook, it felt a little dangerous but safe. They knew it wouldn't go anywhere there, but the temptation was what made it fun.

It certainly wouldn't be his first time, but Aang had been hesitating to go all the way with On Ji. There was always a good excuse. They were too drunk, too tired, or had exams. On the very last night of their trip, he knew there wasn't much in their way. Aang didn't think intimacy was wrong if it was with someone you cared about. And he cared about On Ji! So when she looked up at him through her eyelashes and suggested they sneak back to the house, he didn't protest.

They stumbled through the empty house, kissing and giggling as they went. He airbent the door closed and she pulled him onto the bed. She kissed him, albeit a little sloppy, and slipped her tongue in his mouth. He let his hand fall on her waist and their legs tangle. He felt like he wasn't in his own body, like it wasn't him doing this right now.

"You really are a little monk, Aang. You don't have to be so shy." On Ji peppered hot kisses to his neck and slipped his robe off his shoulder. The comment rubbed him the wrong way, but he just chuckled awkwardly, letting her pull back to bring her red shirt over her head, and bringing a light kiss to her lips again. She grabbed his hand in hers and brought it to her chest. He let her tongue back in his mouth. He knew what the motions all were, and he was liking it. But when her hands started to pull down the waist of his pants, something deep in his stomach wanted her to stop and wanted her to stop _now_. Aang pulled away sharply and made On Ji wince. "Did I do something wrong?"

He moved back to her, regretting his reaction, and grabbed her hands in his. He smiled lightly. "Not at all, I'm sorry. I'm jumpy when I'm drunk."

She nodded, still feeling a little embarrassed. "Do you just want to watch something instead? Cuddle?"

"I think that sounds really great." He laid back down next to her and let her settle on his chest.

"Aang?" On Ji bit her lip. "You know I like you, right? We don't have to...rush anything."

His stomach twinged. "I know, On Ji. I like you too."

* * *

Aang waited until On Ji had fallen into a peaceful slumber to leave the beach house. He couldn't sleep. He really liked On Ji, but it had just felt so wrong to be that intimate with her. While he had slept around a little bit as a freshman, now, sex without feelings felt empty, and he avoided it entirely. She was really pretty and fun to talk to. But he was coming around to the idea that it might end there for him. Maybe he just couldn't have deeper feelings for her.

As much as he wanted it out of his head, he couldn't shake how kissing Katara had felt all those months ago, and how it felt during the body shot. Everyone he kissed now was automatically compared to her, even when he didn't want to be comparing. It wasn't just the physical aspect with that kiss. Kissing On Ji was great, sure. But kissing Katara? It had been like magic. In his gut, it had felt _right_. It was more than the physical act, which carried a pleasure by itself, but it was one that had touched his soul, too.

Aang continued his meditations as he walked down to the beach, hoping a swim might clear his head. Katara didn't want him. On Ji did. He owed her, a girl he definitely liked, a real chance. He wasn't giving her that with Katara running through his mind all the time. When he made it to the beach, he realized she wasn't just in his mind. She was everywhere, apparently. Sitting right on the beach he'd gone to for solitude. She didn't seem to notice him approaching, looking up at the full moon above.

"Full moon?" he asked. Katara jumped and looked up at him, nodding. He noticed right away her eyes were filled with tears and rushed to kneel down next to her. "What's wrong? Don't cry, Katara."

She looked back down, hoping he'd let it go. She'd seen him go up with On Ji and then watched everyone else leave with their person. She'd been left alone and felt it. And though she considered going out to find someone, it wasn't about the warm body. She wanted _him_ , she wanted a real connection. But the only person she had potentially felt that for had just slept with someone else.

The moon had a way of filling her with strength while simultaneously breaking down all her walls. It always made her feel overwhelmed. The moon was so bright and close tonight. Her blood ran hotter than usual on these nights. She decided she'd use an airbender tactic and ignore his question. "Just the moon. Why are you up?"

"I…I'm just too drunk to sleep." It wasn't exactly the truth, but it wasn't a lie either. His head felt muddled.

"Would bending help?" Aang lifted a tendril of water up, waving it in front of Katara as if teasing her. Katara decided it would. She grabbed Aang's hand and pulled him into the water until they were knee deep, starting her flowing movements. For a while, under the moon, they moved as one through their stances. It was most everyone's last night on Ember Island, so everything had been packed away and students went to bed early in preparation for the long journey back to their respective schools. The only thing they could hear were the waves lapping on the shore. It went on for ages, they rehearsed the forms they knew until their arms ached.

In the moonlight she looked incredible. The water shimmered and lit her skin while she moved the water gracefully around herself and him. Every feeling that he'd felt for her the past three years began flooding back to him. He felt a longing for her that he had never felt with On Ji. He wanted to be near her, to touch her, to meld into her. The end of their dance found them bowing, face to face. Katara noticed a darkening in Aang's face, one she had never seen before, as they looked at each other. "Aang?"

He closed the small distance between them and grabbed her face in his hands. Before she realized what was happening, his lips were on hers, light and sweet. She felt butterflies reach her stomach, her hands cold. Aang pulled back before she could react. He grabbed the top of his head for nonexistent hair with a stricken expression on his face. "Katara, I'm so sorry. I-I'm drunk and you just look so beautiful, it must have gone to my head… I don't know what to say."

Katara didn't say anything for a moment, looking out at the moon's reflection in the still water. He had just kissed her again. And this time, she knew exactly what she wanted. Aang's heart seized, sure he had ruined their strained friendship until she looked back up at him. She took a step towards him cautiously before placing shaky hands on either side of his jaw. His heart pounded in his ears. He stayed completely frozen, eyes wide until she pressed her lips to his.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to breathe again. He needed her more now than he had ever needed anything, and the feeling was mutual. Once it had started, it was like they couldn't stop. His arms wrapped around her waist and brought their bare stomachs tight together. She bit his lip hard, making him groan and bring a hand up to wrap in her long, tangled hair, trying to bring their tongues even closer.

They stumbled towards shore, taking it in stride when Katara slipped. He lowered himself down with her in the light surf and knotted their hands together just next to her head in the sand. She started rubbing his leg with her foot, unable to help herself from pushing up against him lightly. The bucking of her hips lit a flame in him, and he pushed himself harder against her. Their heads swam as their skin touched and errant hands found their way around to sensitive places. Katara could feel the way he was trying to breathe her in, practically become one. Aang knew with absolute certainty why similar behavior had felt so mechanical with On Ji earlier.

_On Ji. Shit._

Aang sprang back breathing heavily and collapsed onto his back in the sand. He stared at the sky with wide-open eyes, feeling the total guilt of what had happened seep into his bones. His entire body felt like it was on fire. His feelings about On Ji may have been confused, but they had not come to Ember Island together with the expectation of being with anyone else.

Katara reached out to touch him but he recoiled, standing up, trying to ignore the look of hurt on her face. She cringed. She had never wanted to put him in this position in the first place. But now that it had happened, she needed to explain how she felt.

"This is...that was...I-This-" Aang stumbled through various sentences, unable to finish any one.

As she sat up, he noticed all of the sand in her beautiful mess of hair. The look in her eyes was killing him. "Aang," It killed him, even more, the way she said his name like that "it was-"

"-wrong, Katara. It was _wrong_." The dreamy expression was instantly wiped from her face. Panic continued to flow through him, worsening with each second, and her own body followed suit. This couldn't be happening, they both wanted each other! "I mean I almost just…" he gestured back towards the beach house wildly, "with On Ji- I brought _On Ji_ , Katara."

She bit her lip and looked back toward the water. A wave of nausea flowed through her. She didn't know if she could handle his answer, but she had to know. "Did you just sleep with her? And then did this, here... with me?"

The pain in her voice made him wince. "What? No, Katara, not at all, I haven't slept with her." She breathed a silent breath of relief. "This just-"

"Aang, I'm sorry, I was confused before, I didn't _expect_ you to kiss me after the play."

He laughed bitterly. "You really didn't know how I felt about you? Come _on_ , Katara." He couldn't believe this was happening the way it was. As much as he wanted to gather her up in his arms and kiss her senseless, he couldn't shake the horrible, guilty feeling rolling through his entire being. He felt like he was being torn in half, regretting the anger in his voice.

"Like I said," she balled her fists in the sand. "I didn't _expect_ you to-"

Aang yelled in frustration, his hands straight in the air. "This is so fucked up!"

She jumped. He never cursed. In fact, this may have been the first time she'd ever heard the word come out of his mouth. She looked at him, mouth open, unable to string together words. "But...I..." The moon brought her a little courage. "I didn't know how I felt, before. Didn't it just feel so right?"

He strode towards her with renewed intensity, eyes wild and wide. "It isn't right, Katara! Not now." He turned around, hands back on his forehead.

She tugged on her hair, starting to shiver from the cool breeze from the sea. "Aang-"

He stopped short, turning back to face her. "What are you _doing_ , Katara? You jump me _after_ I start seeing someone?" Katara just looked at him. The hurt was clear in both of their eyes. He met her gaze. She could feel the pain even with the few feet between them.

Before she could answer, he shook his head. "I can't do this."

He left Katara to quietly let out her tears, begging for the full moon to set.


	10. Illusions

Aang never returned to his room that night. Instead, drained of emotions, he hiked to a rocky part of the shore. Finding a rock high enough to be out of the rising surf, he dropped into Lotus position and began to meditate.

Monk Gyatso had warned him that his time at college would challenge him spiritually and emotionally. Other airbenders were few and far between, at least for any long stretch of time, in Ba Sing Se. Of course, he had faced various feelings at the Southern Air Temple, but being distanced from his community was harder than he imagined. He knew what to expect from other people because they were all raised on the same values. In Ba Sing Se, people were so different. He loved those differences, he did. But it could be unsettling and often took him away from the ideals he so cherished. With his people, he had been taught to meditate for hours, days, even. He hadn't meditated since the beginning of their journey to Ember Island.

Thoughts of On Ji arose. He breathed in deeply, steadied himself. In the space of meditation, he could see what he had been denying. He couldn't imagine a future with someone who didn't fundamentally understand _him_. The real him. Not the Avatar. Someone who didn't like the attention his title brought him. The proud monk.

It wasn't that anything was wrong with On Ji. In fact, she was probably one of the nicest and most genuine people he'd met since after leaving the air temple. But with his mind clearing and the fog of the past week gone, it was obvious to him that their connection wasn't as deep as he'd been telling himself it was. He didn't even know all that much about her. There was a difference between people that were great to hang out with, and those to actually build something with.

The shame of his conversation with Katara moved through his stomach like an unending smoke. It swirled around his mind, the words he had said and the things he had done. It wasn't Katara's fault that he had kissed her out of nowhere and ran away. It wasn't her fault he never talked to her about his feelings. Nor was it her fault that he had buried his feelings for her so deeply, using On Ji as a shield. Aang knew that he had laid the groundwork for their current predicament by avoiding that conversation and trying to deny his feelings. He looked at it all, faced it, and let it pass.

His thoughts continued to rise and fall away, in and out like the waves just below him. His life had certainly shifted. The semester had brought new people and his role as the Avatar to the forefront. But this, going back to his roots as an Air Nomad, began to bring him back into balance. He knew this needed to be a priority going forward.

By the time the sun came over the horizon, he was back and level with himself again. He knew what he needed to do. When he made it back to the beach house, preparations to leave were already being made. Sokka and Suki were packing up the remaining alcohol that could be salvaged into some padding for the ride. Various servants, presumably the Fire Lord's, busied themselves around the house to turn it down while Zuko directed them. Toph sat with Satoru on the couch, Aang heard something about mechanics. On Ji and Mai were sipping tea at the table and they waved. Where was Katara?

Momo chittered away and ran around Aang's shoulders. He scratched him behind the ears. "Maybe you know where Katara is?" Momo seemed to respond in the affirmative and bounded up to the bedrooms of the beach house, where Aang found Katara packing up her things. She looked tired. She felt it. After picking herself off the beach the previous night, she had laid in bed awake nearly the entire night. A murder podcast was the only thing that lightened her spirits and helped her fall asleep. For once, she didn't want to see Aang.

He leaned up against the doorframe as Momo ran up to Katara. "Hey, Katara," he said softly.

She didn't look up and sighed. "Hey, Aang." The silence weighed on them both.

Aang moved into the room and began folding some of the clothes laid out on her bed. He knew their routine, and she felt impressed as always. "Look, I'm really sorry for last night. For the last few months, really. I haven't been myself."

She hummed lightly. "Yeah, you haven't." She wouldn't look up, her hands working quickly to put her makeup in its bag. Katara was feeling a little embarrassed. She had, kind of jumped him, the night prior. At the same time, he had fully participated. He had even initiated! She felt equal parts angry and ashamed.

Aang almost grabbed her hands to stop her anxious packing but hesitated. "Katara, please look at me."

She sighed and zipped the bag shut, placing it on the counter. Katara steeled herself before looking up at him. "Well?"

His face had an expression she hadn't really seen before. His mouth pulled into a tight line and he looked down. "Last night was on me, Katara. I shouldn't have blamed you. You have the right to feel however you want to feel, on whatever timeline you want. I shouldn't have run away, either time. I should have stayed and talked to you and that's why we're in this mess now."

Her face softened and she shook her head. "I pretended like it never happened. I should have said something." She snorted. "I really didn't expect you to kiss me. That play was awful."

Aang laughed, remembering the student production that barely seemed to be off-book. "Okay, okay, it was bad…" He met her eyes. "But I liked sitting next to you." Blushing, Katara looked away. How could he make her feel totally different with just a few words?

"Hey!" yelled Sokka from below. "What the hell are you doing up there? We have a schedule for a reason! Get moving!"

They smiled at each other. Momo jumped back and forth between them affectionately, feeling the tension in the room disappear. Aang began putting her clothes in her bag. "Look. On Ji and I… it's not going anywhere. I'm going to end it when we get back to the city." Katara looked up at him in surprise as she stopped zipping her bag up. "If you want this… I'm yours. And we'll do it however you need."

Katara opened her mouth to reply but Aang pushed his hand over her lips. "Don't answer now!" He laughed at her wide eyes. "Just...think about it. And if not, we'll be okay."

* * *

It had been a few hours of flying. Everyone was tired, if not a little hungover. Aang patted Appa's head. He was carrying a lot of people. Toph had declared that Satoru would be coming back with them, and Aang wasn't one to argue with his earthbending sifu. On Ji knew something was up when Aang got back to the beach house in the morning, but nonetheless, she thought she would join him on Appa's head. They shared some pleasant conversations as the hours went by. Things were still easy with On Ji, and he prayed that she wouldn't be too upset.

"What the hell is that?"

Everyone looked at Sokka, then out to where his gaze was. The horizon was filled with plumes of black smoke to their left. It was far, but it was the Earth Kingdom mainland.

Aang looked at Sokka, his eyes confirming what he already guessed, then at Katara, who just nodded lightly. They needed to help if they could. He gripped the reins, turning to On Ji. "Get in the back of the saddle until we know what's going on." She was surprised by his serious tone but obliged without protest. "Appa, yip yip."

At Appa's quickened pace, the source of the fire started to emerge. Suki was the first to recover from her shock. "Zuko, what is going on here?"

Zuko was just as surprised as the rest of them, unfortunately, as fireballs were launched into Earth Kingdom towns miles ahead of them from Fire Nation boats. It was painfully obvious that the fields were burning. "I… I don't know. Mai?"

She shook her head, eyes narrowed as she watched the carnage. "Are they headed to Omashu?"

"I don't think so," Suki said, surveying the land. "We're further north, right Aang?"

He turned back towards the group in affirmation, eyes filled with dread. "I took us around a storm earlier."

On Ji was upset, annoying Mai next to her. "How could they do this?"

Satoru leaned over the edge of the saddle, trying to get a better look at the machines sitting atop the forward boats. "I think… these are the machines we designed… Toph, the Mechanist and I sold those designs to Earthen Industries."

Toph's eyes widened. "My father probably made them and sold them to the highest bidder."

Sokka whipped around to Satoru's face. "If you made them, then you know how to break them." He pulled out a scroll for Satoru to draw on, a plan already forming in his head.

Aang breathed a slow, steady breath. He didn't know why the Fire Nation ships were attacking the Earth Kingdom, but he knew it was his duty to get to the bottom of it. He wasn't a fully realized Avatar, but attacks between nations? Probably fell under his purview whether he was ready or not. _No time like the present_ , he thought bitterly. He waited until the ships were clearly in view, careful to keep Appa out of range. The roar of the fires and faint yelling started reaching their ears. "Katara? I need you to take Appa." He trusted her the most.

Katara joined him on Appa's head and took the reins from his hand. "What are we doing?"

He crouched next to her, a mischievous look in his eye she didn't like. "Get On Ji and Satoru out of harm's way, let Sokka and whoever disable the machines, but you need to help the villagers." Aang tried to push the sound of people below yelling and running out of his mind. "You need to put the fires out."

Katara nodded, already looking down for a plan of action. "Wait, but what about you?"

Aang didn't say anything but reached out to pinch her cheek lightly. She scrunched her brows, turning a light pink as his touch. Instead of answering he stood, smiled, and let himself fall backward off of Appa.

When Aang opened his glider, he soared straight towards the biggest ship. He took his time though, making sure to survey everything he could. His sudden appearance on the main deck shocked the firebenders, who immediately threw fire fists in his direction. Thanks to his training with Zuko, it was easy to bat them away. He heard their surprise and mutterings about an air nomad who could firebend. It couldn't be the Avatar? Wasn't he still in college?

"Bring me whoever is in charge," Aang demanded, surprised by the steadiness in his own voice. The soldiers all froze, but luckily for Aang, the commander had already come out onto the deck after seeing the commotion.

"I'm Admiral Chan, what's going on here?" Admiral Chan stood tall, proud even. It only bothered Aang more.

He stared straight at him, his staff in front of him, hoping to look any measure of intimidating despite barely being 21. "I'm the Avatar. You need to turn your ships around immediately."

"The Avatar? Well, oh mighty Avatar," he said sarcastically, his soldiers snickering. "We're on order from Fire Lord Ozai to share our greatness with the world. Who are you to stand in the way of greatness?"

He clenched his jaw. "Please. Turn back now, you're hurting people. I don't want to fight you."

Admiral Chan looked determined, a little excited even. "A fight? Works for me." He pushed a column of fire towards Aang, who sidestepped it easily, and seeing Appa overhead, made a jump for it.

Katara had screamed for a moment as Aang fell, catching her breath with a curse when she saw his glider snap open. "That idiot!" She knew why he'd done it: she wouldn't have let him go alone. It annoyed her to no end when he pulled things like this. She'd have to think about it later, spotting a high cliffside where she could drop off On Ji and Satoru.

The two non-benders - non-fighters, for Suki's sake - had a perfect view of everything unfolding below them. They watched as Katara brought Appa down briefly to drop everyone on the shore before pulling back up. She stood on Appa's saddle, pulling huge swaths of water up into the air to rain back down on the fields and homes, going back and forth again and again. Hot steam began to cloud their view of the towns.

By now, the lead ships with the mecha-tanks had landed, so Sokka and Toph went from tank to tank, taking them down from the inside out with his plans and her metalbending. The other three guarded them, pushing back firebenders left and right.

On Ji sucked in a breath. She and Satoru just had to sit and watch their friends take on a small army. Satoru nudged On Ji, pointing towards the flash of orange that was Aang's glider. He closed it just as Appa swooped underneath him, Katara holding her arm up to meet his.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Aang?" Katara said, swatting his arm as he hit the saddle with a thud.

Normally this would have made Aang laugh, but his expression was dark. "I'm sorry. It didn't go well. We need to stop these ships."

Aang and Katara landed on the beach, sending Appa back into the sky. He pulled an earthen tent around their friends, momentarily stopping their clash with firebending soldiers. They filled everyone in on his confrontation with Admiral Chan.

"Should we just evacuate the towns? Make sure everyone is safe?" Katara asked, surveying the group. Though she had gotten most of the fires out, the cries of the townspeople were still loud and present. The trebuchets were still launching.

Sokka shook his head. "I don't think so. We don't have much time and these towns are huge."

Zuko was distraught, not wanting to fight his own countrymen. He didn't know why they were invading, and he was literally the Fire Prince. "If what Chan said was true, my father wouldn't want them to stop at these villages anyway. They'd just be running."

"Okay, so what do we do, then, Sparky?" Toph picked at her nails, full of oil from the machines.

"We can't fight them all, we're outnumbered and it's about to get worse," Suki said, flinching as the walls around them shook.

Sokka tapped his chin. "Maybe we don't have to. What if we build a wall?"

Everyone looked at him blankly.

"It wouldn't hold them off forever, but maybe enough to give us time to get help. The Earth King, maybe?"

Zuko groaned in frustration. "We aren't carpenters, Sokka!"

Sokka shook his hands. "No, of course not, but you are benders. Zuko, it takes a while to melt ice with firebending, right?"

Zuko nodded doubtfully. "You want them to build an ice wall in the next 10 minutes?"

He shrugged. "Anyone else got a better idea?"

As soon as they pulled the earthen tent back down, it was back on. Surrounded by soldiers, they had to fight their way out. Though newer additions to the Gaang, Mai and Zuko fell in with them easily, all only aiming to incapacitate their opponents, either due to nonviolent ideologies or fear of hurting their own people.

Frustrated with their progress towards shore as the rest of the ships were ever approaching, Aang blew back a swath of soldiers to clear the way with one big sweep of his staff. From above, both On Ji and Satoru gasped as Aang and Toph were able to send them back from them with large earth columns, allowing them to run towards the shoreline. They watched as Katara and Aang pushed and pulled the water, sending some of the ships slowly moving back out towards the sea.

It wasn't fast enough, though. As Aang and Katara brought up sheets of ice, trying to build on them, the ships sent flaming rocks, making them shatter. Suki held a war fan in front of her face to avoid the falling shards.

"This isn't working, Aang!" Katara cried, shielding her eyes from another broken ice wall. He looked around, trying to survey the situation.

In good news, the firebenders seemed to have left the village alone. In bad news, they were now attacking them. And though they were arguably one of the best fighting forces in the world, the addition of troops from the rest of the ships would be overwhelming if they landed. He started breathing heavily. There wasn't room or time for Appa to rescue them. Not only would the villages be destroyed by the Fire Nation, but his friends would too.

Aang's panicked thoughts would be the beginning of the end, because as his back turned to look around, Sokka was knocked back. Katara turned to rescue him and was hit with a fire fist to the back. She hit the ground hard but flipped over with a water whip. Toph sent the attacking fire bender flying, but he grabbed Katara at the last second, sending them both into the air. And worse, Admiral Chan's lead ship hit the beach, right in the middle of them all. They were separated.

Aang blew a firebender back that had just nailed Suki in the shoulder, only to narrowly avoid a plume of fire from another. He heard Zuko curse to his left, Katara cry out on the other side of the ship. Admiral Chan walked out casually on the bow, a big smile on his face, before enveloping the huts by the docks in flames.

Aang had been in the Avatar State before, of course. He tried to avoid it as much as possible, afraid of losing control or hurting people. But seeing that fire, hearing his friends hurt, and feeling his back against the metaphorical wall, he let it wash over him.

Katara knew what was happening almost immediately when the wind picked up, even though she couldn't see him. In the Avatar State, the elements pulled to Aang like magnetism and swirled around him. She fought her way through the wind, trying to get to him. "Aang!" she yelled uselessly over the noise of the earth rumbling and wind whipping around them.

With a stomp, he sent firebenders on land up to their noses into the earth, earning an appreciative nod from his earthbending Sifu. Aang rose into the air and turned on Admiral Chan. "Turn back, now." His voices echoed throughout the valley of the town.

Though the chorus of Aang's past lives' voices made him falter, Admiral Chan balled his fists at his sides. "I'm not turning back." He sent a stream of fire towards Aang, but they just incorporated into his floating sphere with a quick wave of his hands.

"Katara!" Sokka screamed over the wind. He had frantically waved down Appa, and luckily for everyone, he was an observant bison. Appa's groan carried over the distance as the group piled on. She waved him off, hoping he'd join the rest. She needed to get to Aang.

He'd never been able to control the Avatar State before and Katara couldn't let him do something he would regret. Suki and Zuko hauled Sokka onto Appa's back and they started towards the safe cliff. She tried to fight the wind towards Aang but suddenly found herself waist-deep in the earth. It was a good thing too: with a spin, Aang unleashed more wind than Katara had ever felt in her life. It sent her face toward the grass in front of her and her arms barely managed to stop her from breaking her nose on the ground. The burst of air he had summoned sent a chill over her skin and took the air straight from her lungs. Trees dipped precariously toward their own roots. The ships groaned and were pushed back towards the sea. Chan hit the metal of his ship from the bow, his body cracking against it.

Katara managed to turn her head up towards Aang and called for him. "Aang, you can't lose control! Stop!" As the wind ceased, she felt her earthen prison crumble around her. She pulled her way up from the ground.

She could see him assuming the first stance she'd helped him learn under Pakku as he pulled a tsunami out from under the ships. Her heart sank. Aang was going to drown everyone in the town with the size of the wave. She suddenly found it in herself to scream, to scream for him to stop and realize what he was doing. As the wave loomed dangerously close to them, reaching well over his head even as he floated, he turned around and threw his arms over his head. The wave shot upwards as though having hit an invisible wall hundreds of feet high. He turned again toward the seawater and brought his hands up. It froze from the bottom up to the spiky tops above their heads, encasing the village in a half snowglobe. And then he dropped out of the sky.

He was lucky that Katara was there to catch him, as always, so he didn't hit his head. She had frantically run towards his falling body and now cradled his head against her chest. Aang opened his eyes lightly, still faint from the effort, and smirked at Katara. "And you thought I was going to kill you."

The next time he opened his eyes, they would be most of the way back to Ba Sing Se, Suki at the reins. He curled up the warmth near him and groaned softly. A hand caressed his head lightly. "You're awake! Now you can tell me where it hurts."

Aang's head felt like it was splitting into two, but the hands almost made it bearable. He blearily opened his eyes and managed a smile when Katara's spinning face entered his vision. He vaguely saw her move to her side and almost immediately felt relief. As the water flowed over his forehead, Aang's senses returned to him. His head was in Katara's lap, she leaned back on the saddle's edge near the front, presumably to talk to Suki while she steered. He immediately felt heat tint his cheeks at his position.

Suddenly there was a white furry animal on Aang's face. "Momo!" Katara reprimanded and grabbed the lemur under his arms. "We don't walk on peoples' faces!"

Straining to sit up and bolstered by a helpful steady hand on his back, Aang got into a sitting position and grabbed Momo from Katara's hands. "You were just excited to see me, weren't you Momo?"

Sokka sat up from his place at the back of the saddle, where his arms were laid out making his body form a T, and grinned. "Afternoon, Aang! What took you so long?"

"How long have I been out?" Katara started to heal from the back of his head. She had been healing him every available moment, but very little was wrong. She hoped she could provide some comfort.

"A day and a half now." She answered. "We just passed by the Serpent's Pass an hour ago or so."

On Ji moved to grasp one of his hands. "I'm glad you woke up." He felt Katara's hand on his back stiffened ever so slightly.

The last day had been a blessing, in some ways, to Katara. Though she didn't want him to be in a coma, being the only healer gave her a reason to be near him, to touch him, and to _look_ at him. She knew he'd wake up, he always did, and though she was still worried, she needed the time alone with him. She had been able to imagine what that might look like to be his, to watch him sleep and really think about her feelings for him and what that meant. She had curled up next to him in bed the night before after Sokka and Zuko carried him there. Making sure he was alive was a convenient excuse to lay her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, felt the rise and fall of his chest. She had trailed her fingers over his features, felt the prickle of his hair growing in along his scalp and chin, looked at each of his hands and fingers, took in his smell.

Now that he was awake, he wasn't only hers anymore.

Aang smiled at On Ji. "Thanks." His face dropped for a second. "Do you think this will get me out of Fire Nation Extremism?" He looked around as On Ji pulled her hand away; only Toph, Zuko, and Satoru were in the saddle. "Where's Mai?"

"We dropped her back in Omashu," Zuko said, looking far less relaxed than he had with her around. "She's going to warn her family."

He grimaced. In his haze, he'd forgotten the whole reason he was unconscious in the first place. The Fire Nation was openly attacking Earth Kingdom land. He might have bought them a few days, but they would probably try again. "Have we heard from the Earth King?"

Sokka shook his head. "I sent a hawk from Omashu, and Bumi is going to warn the other Earth Kingdom towns. I think when we get back it will be best if we go straight to him, hopefully, he'll have already sent some troops."

"You need to rest, Aang." Katara started pulling him back down to lay down. "We've still got a few hours left before we make it to the Upper Ring and I can feel how muddled your head is."

"She's right," Sokka said. "We have everything covered right now."

Ignoring his brief protest, Katara managed to get his head onto the saddle next to her. He wished that he could put his head back in her lap, but knew it would be unkind to On Ji, and potentially make Katara uncomfortable. He curled into the edge of the saddle, where Katara had stretched a blanket out to block the sun, and drifted off into a deep sleep.


	11. The Endless Night

"I'm sorry, what?" Aang was incredulous, Sokka speechless.

"The Earth King will not be sending troops to the western Earth Kingdom." General Hu almost seemed annoyed at their confusion.

Sokka regained his composure and walked towards the throne. "So the Fire Nation openly attacks the Earth Kingdom, hurts Earth Kingdom citizens, and you're going to do nothing?"

"King Kuei, please. They need your help," Aang implored.

He pet Bosco nervously. "If my generals say we shouldn't spare the troops…"

"Innocent people are going to die!"

"We can't leave Ba Sing Se unprotected," said another general, supporting his colleague.

Sokka dropped his forehead to his palm. "You could stop this before it even comes close to the walls, King Kuei. The world needs you!"

A third general laughed a quick chortle. "Isn't that what we have the Avatar for? Sounds like you were handling it just fine."

* * *

Katara couldn't sleep. She'd wanted to go with Aang and Sokka, but they had convinced her to go home. Aang asked her to get everyone home, to take care of Appa and his saddle. He reminded her that she had been up for hours on end healing him and needed rest. She couldn't say no to the pleading look in his eyes. But all that was done now and despite being in her comfiest PJs and under her blankets with sleep music on, she was wide awake. She texted her brother and Aang repeatedly asking how it was going, and all she got back was a " _Not great_ " and then radio silence.

Suki and Toph had long passed out, so she was left alone to her thoughts. Luckily Momo had decided to keep her company. She switched on the TV and watched a few hours of The Great British Baking Show, checking her phone every few minutes as they moved from pastry week to cookies and so on. Not even Mary Berry could calm her nerves.

A noise made her jump out of bed. It came from the living room but didn't sound like either of her roommates. She brought a finger to her lips to shush Momo whose ears were perked up in alarm as she made to open her door. The room was empty. She heard the noise again, a light banging on the balcony that was slowly getting louder and more desperate.

It was Aang. Katara ran to the balcony and unlocked it, letting him in. Immediately she knew something was really wrong. He looked like a lost, terrified puppy. Before she could get a good look at him, he practically collapsed in her arms. His chest heaved and he dropped his glider on the floor without concern. A quick check showed he wasn't physically hurt, but he sobbed nonetheless. "Katara…"

"Shhh, okay, okay, come on, let's go to my room." Katara managed to move his grip to allow them to walk into her room. She sat him on the bed next to her cradled his head to her chest, her cheek pressed to the top of his head. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Aang let out a series of incoherent phrases that she couldn't put together, but she assumed it was something about their meeting with the Earth King. Or maybe On Ji, Katara thought with a twinge of jealousy. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment until it passed. "Okay, let it out."

Katara's chest ached seeing him like this, her normally upbeat friend in so much pain. Friend. She remembered his words from the beach house. He was hers if she wanted it.

It was suddenly ironic to her, knowing what it felt like to be in his sturdy arms, but having him so helpless in hers. Maybe he did turn into a puddle around him, and maybe it didn't bother her at all like the comment had. It was almost humbling, the way he trusted her so completely with his body and mind. How willing he was to show her this weaker side, how comfortable he was with it. How unabashed he was about how much he needed her. The way he just...gave himself to her.

Despite his state, Katara was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to kiss him. Not in a self-satisfying sort of way, the way their hot kisses had felt the other night, but as if to just show him how much she cared in a way that her arms and words couldn't. To remind him that they were alive and she was there. With the courage that only a lack of sleep could provide, she cupped his face in her hands, wiping the tears with her thumbs. He tried to pull away, not wanting her to see his face red and puffy, but she held firm. His lips trembled when she pressed hers against them, firm and chaste. She felt his breathing hitch and a sob rose from his chest.

He pulled back, surprised out of the majority of his tears. "Katara?"

She kept her eyes closed and rested her forehead against his. "Did something happen with Kuei?"

"Yeah," His voice cracked. "He's refusing to help, at all."

Katara shook her head lightly and sighed in annoyance. She held his face in her hands firmly and continued to wipe away tears with her thumb.

"And...I don't know what to do. The generals said it's my job to end this and protect all those people. They acted like I was being ridiculous and asking them to do _my_ job." Aang brought in a shaky breath. "It's like, we were just taking shots on the beach a few days ago...and now I'm supposed to stop a war by myself?"

She grabbed his hands earnestly, squeezing hard. "But you're not by yourself. You have me, you have all of us."

Aang sniffled and brought Katara into his arms to envelop her in a hug. Her hair smelled like calm. "I don't deserve it," he mumbled. For a while they just squeezed each other, letting Aang's nerves slowly calm as they breathed in and out together.

"Before, Katara…" he pulled away and slipped a nervous hand into hers. "Was that...real? Did you mean that?"

Katara's heart skipped a little beat when his newly nervous eyes met hers. This was a moment she had been putting out of her mind, pushing herself to ignore, because she didn't want to ruin whatever relationship it looked like he had. Even though she had known where he stood for days now, the moment was still somehow intense and almost terrifying. She could only manage to nod. How could she tell him that she'd memorized all of his features, dreamed about him in a way that was totally new?

He let out a big breath and closed his eyes for a moment before looking back up. Her eyes were big in vulnerable in a way that made his head spin. "Can I…?"

He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. It was slow, deliberate, an aching need to savor every bit of it. Unlike the desperate touches on the beach nights prior, there was no edge, no danger. Just, them. Katara began to unknot his robe with practiced fingers, used to helping for healing sessions. His lips moved on hers softly and he reached a hand up to cup her cheek. His heart could burst from the up and downs of his emotions that night. From terrified of the responsibilities on his shoulders to the utter relief and comfort of this woman he knew he loved every part of. She wanted him, like this! Like he had wanted her for so long.

Neither of them knew when they had shifted but they faced each other lying down on her bed. Slow hands made their way around to necks, chests, legs, stomachs. Katara could feel how right it was, the same feeling on the beach. Somehow she could feel his touches weren't truly out of lust like most of the men she had been with before. Each one was almost reverent. His fingers hesitated at the hem of her shirt, pulling himself out of their kiss to check for confirmation. The attention to her comfort made her smile, nodding. But as he pulled her shirt upwards, she slid her skirt down her legs, letting him help her in awe. He kissed her again, slipped his tongue into her mouth, and ran his fingers lightly over her stomach. She shivered and he smiled against her lips.

She brought one of her legs between his, bringing their bodies even more flush than they had before. If the fact that he was enjoying it wasn't immediately obvious from the hard heat pressed against her, the little whimper he let out when they pressed closer was more than enough evidence. He pulled back, a little overwhelmed and dizzy, and pressed light kisses on her jaw and cheek. Feeling things were a little unfair, Katara worked to draw down his pants, leaving them both only in their bindings. "You're so beautiful, you know." He left a long kiss on her neck, where he had on Ember Island. "Sometimes I don't think you realize it."

"Oh, I realize it," Katara said, deadpan. Aang's laugh pulled him away from her neck and he found he couldn't stop. He laughed until his stomach began to cramp. They giggled softly together as he fell on his back and his hands rubbed his tired eyes.

"This is the most confusing day of my life."

Katara propped herself up on her arm to look at him. "What do you mean?"

He smiled at her ruefully. "None of it feels real. You, Kuei, the Fire Nation. Everything made sense when we were leaving the beach house and now everything's upside down. What am I going to do?"

"Listen." She placed her free arm on his chest, her hand laying over his heart. If not for the serious turn of their conversation, she would have laughed at how his pulse quickened at her touch. " _We_ are going to figure it out. Just because the Earth King is dragging his feet doesn't mean you're going to do this alone." Aang closed his eyes tight and let out a terse breath. "And this…" She leaned in for a long, soft kiss. "...is real if you want it to be."

Aang brushed her wavy hair out of her face as she spoke. "Do you want it to be real?"

She laughed. "I'm pretty sure I just said that."

He shot her a lopsided grin, looking around as if he wasn't sure. "I don't know...it would be pretty nice to hear you say you want me. Because I want you, Katara." His eyes when from mirthful to open, honest, and vulnerable.

"Fine." She smiled at his expectant face. "I want you, Aang. I'm yours."

At her words, something new showed in his eyes, and he pushed her onto her back and kissed her hard. She gasped at his sudden movements but tucked her hands in the sides of his bindings, just on his hips. Together, still fervently dropping kisses wherever skin was close enough, they undid the last of each other's bindings.

For a while, finally, it would just be the two of them. No friends, no On Ji, no wars. Just the ecstasy of meeting, flesh to flesh, skin tingling at every touch, with the person they had craved so badly.

Though Katara could barely think, a part of her laughed at her former self who hadn't jumped at the chance to be with him earlier, all those months ago. She ran her hands over the muscles of his back as if it were second nature. The adoration in his eyes, in his every touch, made her feel small and completely high at the same time. How could she have ever believed this wasn't it for her? She hoped soft whispers and gentle touches would be enough to quell any lingering doubt he may have had about her feelings for him.

It was still, to Aang, feeling like a dream, but somehow so grounding to be with her in this way despite the chaos that had settled so suddenly in their life. Though he'd imagined it way too many times to admit, the softness of her skin touching his lower stomach made him ache with pleasure. Seeing the look of desire and need in her eyes, one that he knew he could have for himself at least in this moment, caused his helpless heart to squeeze painfully in his chest. He wanted to explore every curve of her, every piece of that soft skin with his mouth, his eyes, his tongue.

Neither would have any concept of the time that passed while they focused that exploration, but eventually their giggles turned into whimpers and long sighs, and Aang and Katara would soon fall asleep for the first time that night.

* * *

The flickering of light hit Katara's eyes. The TV. The events of just a few hours ago came crashing back into her mind when she smelled Aang's scent under her and opened her eyes to an arm with a blue tattoo. She bit her lip and flushed, remembering how they came together before she fell asleep. His arms were tightly around her, bringing her into a warm cocoon. He had turned on Golden Girls, one of his favorites, and also one that Toph teased him relentlessly about.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair. "I didn't mean to wake you."

She lifted her head to his and gave him a long, lingering kiss and he sighed. "What are you doing up?"

"Just had a little trouble falling asleep. You fell asleep so quick, it was adorable."

She ignored his comment and looked up at him. "After that? How could you possibly have any energy left."

He smiled and shook his head. "No, Katara, you definitely wore me out in _that_ way. Not that I could ever bring myself to turn you down. I was just thinking."

Katara smirked, feeling a little powerful. "Thinking?"

"I…is this all really fair to you, Katara?"

She sat up at his words to look down at him with worry on her brow. "What are you talking about, Aang?"

He groaned and brought a palm to his face. "I don't know, I got worried. That bringing us close like this is selfish of me." She opened her mouth but he cut her off before she could speak. "I know, I know, I've wanted this for a long time. I guess I never thought it would happen so it didn't matter, it was just a fantasy. But, the world was at peace when we met anyway. You just looked so small asleep before. If this were to escalate to war…"

"Do you really think I've made an uninformed choice here? I mean, I was at the Earth Kingdom town too. And I've always known that you weren't just going to be partying forever."

"No, but-"

She copied his move from the beach house and pressed two fingers to his lips. "But nothing. It's not like I can't handle myself in a fight. I'm a big girl and I know what I signed up for. Do you want to be with me?"

He looked down with wide, childlike eyes and answered quietly after pausing. "More than anything I've ever wanted, Katara."

She smiled triumphantly. "Then that's settled then, we'll be together. No need to be worried."

"Katara," he laughed and squeezed her closer, "it's not settled just like that. The thought of possibly putting you in even more danger just makes me feel sick."

She pursed her lips and leaned back to look at the ceiling. "Well, you being in danger makes me feel sick too. How do you think I'd feel if I couldn't be there at all? You're always going to be the Avatar."

He smiled painfully. "You're right, but there could be danger around me for the rest of our lives."

"Aang, I'm going to be there whether we're together or not. You have to know that, don't you?"

Aang took on the sweet but determined expression on her face, knowing that he did know. She'd never leave him if he needed her friendship or help. He sighed and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Yeah, you're right. I'd always be there too. I don't deserve you. Any of you, really, but you especially."

"Yes," she smiled, kissing his cheek lightly. "You do. It's the rest of the world that doesn't deserve you."

He squeezed her in his arms and pressed his face into her sweet-smelling hair. "You're so perfect, Katara." Feeling him relax, she rubbed his cheek with her thumb until his breathing evened out and he drifted off.

* * *

Katara awoke with a start. She would have jolted upwards if Aang didn't have an iron grip on her like he was afraid she'd vanish if he let go. He roused up in an instant, turning a concerned face to hers almost immediately. "Are you okay?"

She nodded and let her heartbeat slow before a slow smile came over her face. "Don't laugh at me, please."

"Of course I won't laugh at you. Was it a nightmare?"

"Sort of. I dreamed that we told everyone about us."

"And?"

"Well, it was pretty nonsensical after that... Toph started firebending on Appa, Suki kept asking for our passports, and Sokka morphed into Momo and tried to scratch my eyes out."

Aang, who had been holding in a laugh, was unable to keep it in any longer. She sat up and swatted him. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"

"I'm sorry, how could I not?" She hit him playfully again and he caught his breath. "I'm sorry for laughing, it's just Momo would never. Right Momo?"

Momo did not respond, relatively traumatized from what he had walked in on earlier in the night between his two humans, and was grouchily rooting through Katara's bathroom.

"Well in my dream he did!"

"Okay, okay." Aang sat up and rubbed her back encouragingly. "I'm sorry I laughed. Are you...having anxiety about telling everyone about us? Is that what's on your mind?" The thought put a bit of fear in his heart, but he forced himself to breathe.

She groaned. "I don't want to be nervous! I just don't want to hear it from them. They're going to be so…"

"Them?" he finished for her.

"Yes, them. Sokka always hates everyone I date, Toph will just harass us even more now."

He grabbed her and forced her to look in his eyes very seriously. "I'm willing to lose Sokka's love for you."

"Oh stop!" She laughed. "He doesn't hate you. I think he's been rooting for us to get together for a while."

He smiled at her laugh, it was like music to his ears, especially after her nightmare. "Oh, he'll be annoying about it. But yes, I think he has. I think everyone kind of has, to be honest." He frowned. "Or maybe our friends just like watching me suffer."

"I guess I'm glad they did, even if they just wanted to mess with you."

"I'm glad too. So what are you so worried about?"

"I guess there's all this added pressure. Because everyone was expecting it, and I was the only one who didn't see it. And I guess I'm a little afraid some people might see me as a homewrecker or something. Obviously not like our immediate friends. But people we see out a lot."

He took a pause before approaching what he was hoping wasn't too delicate a topic. "People like...On Ji? The KWs?"

She nodded. "I'm so stupid."

"It's not stupid at all, Katara. Honestly, I think most of them were also on the bandwagon for us getting together."

"Yue!" Katara laughed, recalling her friends' manipulation.

"And when I break things off with On Ji more officially, I'll make it clear that it's not because of you, okay?"

"Oh." Katara scrunched her face. "I forgot about that."

"Yeah. I can't say I'm really looking forward to it. But you should be clear on that too. She and I were never right. I was going to break things off before any of this happened."

Katara smiled and kissed him deeply. "I know, but thank you for saying it."

Aang jumped out of the bed and pulled a robe off the floor. "Of course. I'm all yours, sweetie. I'm getting water. Do you want anything from the kitchen?"

Katara shook her head, wrinkling her nose at the nickname but didn't totally hate it. No one had called her 'sweetie' before. He gave her a peck before groping his way to the kitchen in the dark, mostly knowing the way, but still a little unclear with the lack of light. He made it to the cabinets with the glasses and pulled one out. Despite the fact that he had determined the events of the evening to be very real, it still felt like he was walking through a daydream. He'd been in their apartment so many times but he had never thought like this. Staying the night in anything other than a drunken haze on the couch.

"So, you finally bagged Sugar Queen?"

Nearly dropping the glass, Aang felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest. "Spirits, Toph. Really? You had to? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Oh, you want to talk about heart attacks?" He located Toph in the dark, sitting at the counter with a bowl of cereal. "Imagine _my_ surprise when I walk to my bathroom in the middle of the night and hear _those_ vibrations!" She brought a hand to her chest as if she had any sense of propriety. "You exposed my poor feet to an absolute scandal."

Aang filled the glass and shook his head with a smile on his face. "Give it a rest."

"Well? Everything you dreamed of? Completely magical? Oma and Shu reincarnated?"

"Toph, come on. She's already nervous about all of you harassing us about it, please promise me you will go easy on her." He paused to take a sip of the water. "But yeah, all that."

"Absolutely no dice on taking it easy on Sweetness, but points for trying. I'll be good though, I won't tell Sokka." She smiled broadly. "I'll leave that one to you two."

"Gee thanks." He started back towards the bedroom.

"No problem, Twinkletoes. I'm nothing if not considerate!"

When Aang reentered the bedroom with the water, and the chocolate he'd snatched from the pantry, Katara was peacefully asleep. He smiled, and carefully slid in next to her so as not to wake her.


	12. Loose Ends

After their audience with the Earth King, and after Aang had stumbled away with his glider, Sokka had started thinking about next steps. For the first time he was at a loss. He was known among their group as the "idea" guy, but he was fresh out of them. At least when it came to the Earth King. He needed to have all the information and that wouldn't be possible tonight.

He decided to walk to the Avatar's offices by the palace. They were rarely used since the death of Avatar Roku, but he and Aang had explored them (and hid in them with a bottle of gin) during a bureaucratic party a few years prior. Out of everyone in the group, Sokka was closest to the Avatar-in-training's administrator. Eventually, it was assumed that he'd be assigned an assistant from the Southern Air Temple, but since he had no official duties yet it didn't seem necessary. Sokka wasn't sure if this was a role he'd always want, but for now he enjoyed being able to contribute to Team Avatar. Plus, looked great on a CV. He'd asked for a system of messenger hawks to be maintained near the places they frequented specifically for Avatar duties and the offices were no exception.

His first letter was to his father and Bato, in the south. His second would be to Chief Arnook. While Iroh was great, it was clear that they were going to need more direction if the Earth King and his generals would be no help. King Bumi was in his early 20's too, so all of them were fighting a little blind. Hopefully the two leaders of the Water Tribes could offer assistance or at the very least, advice.

His next letter would be another to King Bumi to update him on their meeting. King Bumi was one of the strangest people that Sokka had ever met, but he knew they had a real ally in him. Together, they had sent out a number of spies around the western coast of the Earth Kingdom, a mix of Bumi's close friends, Kyoshi warriors, and air nomads in the region. Hopefully by tomorrow they would have some good intelligence...

A sharp pain on his hand sent Sokka reeling into the back of his chair. It was morning and he'd fallen asleep with his face pressed to the desk. The quick squawk confirmed the pain was a hawk pecking his hand.

Sokka quickly opened the little canister holding the message from King Bumi.

After a quick ride on the train back to the middle ring, Sokka was back at his and Aang's apartment. Empty. No big deal, Aang had a tendency to disappear under stress. He'd disappeared after kissing Katara and getting rejected, it made sense that he'd disappear again now when the world was on the brink of war. He sent off a text to Aang before jogging to the girls' apartment. If he couldn't tell Aang, he could at least tell everyone else what was going on.

When he made it to the lobby, he called Suki to let him up. She was always up early for yoga and her Kyoshi Warrior practice. Even though he knew he was sweaty and unshowered, he pulled her in for a long kiss. "Anyone else here?"

She shook her head. "Just Katara and Toph as far as I know. I think they're both asleep. Any news?"

"Yes, and it was good." He smiled and tilted his head to the side. "Well, as good as we could ask for right now."

Suki breathed in relief and let her arms hang from his neck. "Thank spirits. That means you have time to shower."

"Oh sorry, with all the stress I think I forgot how to shower. Help a guy out?"

Suki pushed him back towards her room and laughed. "You're so pathetic."

"If you mean pathetically in love, then you're absolutely right!"

After a sufficient washing and wet touches in the warm water, Sokka and Suki stumbled back to her bed to finish the job. Suki lowered herself onto Sokka's chest at his finish and pressed her cheek to his collarbone.

"Suki?"

"Mmm." She may have been an elite warrior, but Sokka had a way of wearing her out. She knew the feeling was mutual.

"I meant what I said earlier. I'm pathetically in love with you."

She kissed his chest. "I know, I love you too."

"I think...I may have made a mistake."

This made Suki wake up. "What are you talking about?"

"Maybe...I was wrong about the open relationship. I want you to be mine."

"You want me to be yours? Sokka, you don't own me."

He sat up as Suki moved to his side. "No, no, I know I don't. That's not what I meant. It's just not how I thought it would be. And seeing you on the beach with those FF guys…"

Suki's felt a surge of anger move through her stomach. "Oh, I see. You just don't like that I actually saw other people. It's about wanting me for yourself, not about us."

Sokka's head rolled backwards so he looked towards the ceiling. "Suki you're twisting my words. And yeah, I do want you for myself."

"I can't believe you!" Suki started angrily pulling on her PJ pants, covered in small gold fans.

Sokka followed suit, grabbing some of his clothing from the ground. "Let me get this straight, Suki. First I'm wrong because I don't want to be exclusive, now I'm wrong because I do?"

"No! I wanted to be exclusive. It's just annoying that you only want to because you saw me with someone else. Even though I ran back to you. What, did you not manage to get any?"

Fully dressed, Suki made for the door with Sokka close on her heels. She was going to pull the ultimate trump card: Katara. And Toph, if she was there. She knew that they would side with her on how much of a jerk he was being. She threw open the door and froze in place. Sokka stumbled into her, not expecting the sudden stop. He looked up, and still fueled from the anger of the fight said: "What the fuck is this?"

Aang jumped away from his place standing between Katara's legs, who was sitting on the counter with her back towards them. His hand immediately went to the back of his neck as he flushed as red as a Fire Nation uniform. "Oh, uh, hey Sokka. How's it going?"

"How's it _going_?" Suki's arms flew up to stop Sokka from running at the two. "Are you going to act like that wasn't just happening? She's literally wearing your robes!"

Katara tried to hold in a giggle but lightly snorted instead. Aang had insisted on making her breakfast and she had insisted on helping. He wrapped her in his robes so she'd be covered up (though, if he was being honest, it was mainly because it was super hot to have her in _his_ robes). So he'd carried her and she'd wrapped her legs around his waist. When he'd tried to set her on the counter she didn't let him go. Unfortunately for them, Sokka and Suki's fight moved to the common area just a few minutes after their lips met.

Wriggling out of Suki's stance, Sokka strode towards his roommate and sister with his mouth open, completely flabbergasted. He pawed at Aang's neck. "Is that… Katara! You gave him a hickey? Come _on_."

Toph burst into the room, her door hitting the wall with a bang. "Did I miss it? _Please_ tell me I didn't miss it."

Aang shot a look her way. "We're just getting started, Toph," he replied wryly.

"A _hickey_ , Katara?! What are you, 14?" Sokka, unphased by Toph's entrance, was still stuck on the hickey, more disappointed than anything else.

Aang batted his hand away. "Yeah, Katara." He grinned. "We're better than this."

Katara slid off the counter and Aang's robes fell around her curves. She gave him a smile as she put a hand on his neck where the hickey was. "I didn't _mean_ to give you a hickey!"

"That's not all you gave him last night, Sweetness!" Toph cried, delighted by the opening Katara gave her.

"Toph!" Suki admonished in a chorus with Aang and Katara.

Sokka covered his ears. "I don't want to hear about what anybody gave anyone last night, please!"

Suki walked towards the counter and tentatively sat on a stool. "So...does this mean that you guys are together now?"

Aang looked to Katara, who seemed to be a little uncomfortable, but she leaned into his bare chest, and he wrapped an arm around her lightly. She looked back at Suki. "Yeah, we are."

Suki breathed what seemed to be a sigh of relief. "Finally! Spirits, we've all been waiting so long."

"Oh, right!" Sokka turned back to Suki. "So who won the pool then?"

"Toph…" she grumbled in reply.

"YES!" Toph raised her hands in the air and took a slow victory lap around the room. "I'm the champion, the predictor of all things Kataang."

"You seriously took bets on when we would get together?!" Katara whirled on her brother, roles reserved.

Aang's hand returned to the back of his neck. "Kataang?"

"I can't believe you guys!" Katara yelled.

Suki looked at her phone and made a face. "You guys really couldn't have waited a couple of weeks? Then I would've won!"

Sokka nodded, frowning at the pair. "Or a couple of months, I was down for the spring."

Katara brought water from the tap up to hit Sokka, but Aang quickly grabbed her hands. "Sweetie, it's actually kind of cute. They all knew we'd get together."

Sokka and Suki exchanged a brief look of disgust at the pet name, but it had the intended effect. Katara released the water with a pout and crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright, fine. But no more bets about my life or us, Sokka!"

"Pff! No more making out in the kitchen, how about _that_? We make _food_ there." He turned on Aang. "And I swear if I have to hear anything coming out of your room-"

Aang threw up a salute but Katara interrupted him to torture her brother a little more. "I don't know, Sokka. With what I've experienced so far, that's going to be _very_ difficult."

"Oh screw you, you guys are gross." The pair giggled and Aang pulled her flush against him. Toph cackled from the couch in pure delight. Sokka waved them off. "I'm happy for you, yada yada, don't be a dick to her, just... keep it down, will you?"

He started walking back to Suki's room, maybe to have a more calm discussion now that a small truce had been established between them, but she stopped him. "Are you going to tell them the news?"

Sokka slapped his forehead. "Right! I was so distracted by the _oogies_ in the room that I didn't even tell you. The Fire Nation has pulled back. Bumi said it seems like they are back in Fire Nation waters, but they have so many ships it's only a matter of time. For now, he's sending emissaries to try to broker some kind of peace. Your wall worked, at least for now. We're going to need to figure out next steps if things escalate."

Both Katara and Aang felt a weight lift off their shoulders. Though they were both giddy with the events of the previous night, it was tempered by the impending doom. Or maybe it increased the giddiness. Either way, this was way better news than either of them had been expecting. "Has anyone heard from Zuko?"

* * *

_Zuko: Hey, up for a field trip? Need a lie detector._

_Toph: I'm your girl, then._

_Zuko: Meet me at my uncle's later tonight?_

_Toph: Sounds good_

_Zuko: Oh, and let's not mention this to the others for now_

_Toph: A secret field trip? Even better._

* * *

To say that Aang was nervous was an understatement. Despite the customary welcome back shot with Jun, and her brand of encouragement, he felt his nerves pull at his stomach. He hated upsetting people, especially people that he cared about. And here he was, waiting for On Ji to come so he could break up with her.

"You said her name is On Ji? I think I know who she is." Jun lounged across from him, keeping company while he waited. Her eyes widened slightly and she stopped playing with a piece of hair in her fingers, as though she had a big revelation. "Wow, imagine getting dumped by the Avatar. Talk about a bruise to the ego."

He groaned. "Not helping, Jun."

"Relax, it'll be fine. Funny though, for some reason, I thought Katara was dating Zuko."

That made Aang laugh. "No, she was never dating Zuko." He spotted On Ji looking around the small evening crowd for him. When it wasn't operating as a bar only, Jun's served as a quick dinner spot or upbeat study space. "She's here."

Jun took this as her cue to leave and she wished him luck before going back upstairs to her office. On Ji found his table and leaned down for a hug.

"Hey, On Ji. How are you doing with everything?"

She sat down and paused, as though thinking through the last few days. "I'm okay! Little intense. But how are you feeling? How was the meeting with the Earth King?"

"Oh, right." Aang realized On Ji had been completely out of the loop for the last 24 hours after being dropped at her apartment by Katara. "Uh, not great, honestly. But we're figuring everything out. Things are going to be a bit different for me going forward."

She didn't seem to know what to say to this so she smiled awkwardly. Aang looked down at his hands.

"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?"

His eyes shot up to her in surprise. "I- how did you… yeah, I'm sorry, On Ji."

She pursed her lips and looked away, nodding again. "Okay. It's okay. I think...I think I saw this coming. And besides, we weren't really a couple."

"No, we weren't, but there was something between us. And I really do like you, it just didn't feel right. You have a right to be upset with me, if you are." Aang searched the look on her face with guilt. She was trying not to tear up. He was responsible for this pain. The least he could do was reassure her.

She let out a quick laugh. "I guess I know what you mean."

"You do?"

"Well, first you wouldn't sleep with me." She smirked at him.

He laughed but saw through the joke for what it was. "Believe me, On Ji, I wanted to. You're beautiful. Like I said, it just didn't feel right."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She looked over towards the empty bar, her chin in her hand. "But I was feeling the same way. Especially on the way back from Omashu. I mean, I knew you were the Avatar going in, but I guess I wasn't expecting… danger? Azula, and then the Earth Kingdom… I can't exactly keep up with your friends, the ridiculous elite fighting squad you have going."

He nodded. "I felt awful bringing you to that fight. And I didn't even warn you about the Avatar State…" It hadn't occurred to him earlier how terrifying it must have been to see him in full glow mode, as Sokka had once lovingly put it. He knew how terrifying he looked, how his voice(s) sounded. Even Katara, the girl who knew him better than anyone, thought he was going to kill her on the beach. On Ji didn't even come from a family of benders.

"Yeah, that was a little unnerving, to be honest. I don't know how Katara managed to stay so calm. And then you were out cold for so long… I guess what I'm trying to say is that I felt a little in over my head. So maybe, this is a good thing."

He nodded, dreading this next part of the conversation even more. "There's something else I need to tell you. I'd rather it come from me."

She tilted her head warily. "What is it?"

"Well, speaking of Katara." Aang squeezed his hands together, feeling redness creep up his shoulders. "You were right, about her. About my feelings for her. I thought I could just push past them because I liked you but I couldn't. Things changed between her and me but… I don't want you to think I'm dumping you for her or something."

She didn't respond for a while, and Aang struggled to find more words before she looked up at him. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Hey On Ji, I didn't dump you for my beautiful and talented waterbending master, it's really just that I don't like _you_?" Her face turned stone cold.

Aang's eyes widened, guilt flooding him instantly. "No, On Ji, I am so sorry, that's not what I meant at all-"

She burst out laughing. "Aang, it's okay. We weren't that serious and both of us felt like something was off. I like you, but I'll be okay. Are you and Katara together now, officially?"

He nodded, letting out a breath. "Um, yeah. We are." He fought a smile and the little stirring of his stomach. He and Katara. _Together_. She was his girlfriend. _Katara_!

"I guess I'm not surprised. She acted so differently when you were all knocked out. I don't even think she slept, to be honest." She sighed and looked down again. "I can't say I'm exactly happy for you yet, but it seems like this is the way it was supposed to be."

He smiled lightly, still feeling bad about the whole situation. "So...friends?"

"I'd like that."


	13. Truth

"I hate you."

Zuko groaned. "I know."

"I _hate_ you."

"I'm sorry, Toph, what do you want me to do?" He slumped back into the seat of the carriage across from her.

Toph blew the hair out of her face, arms crossed, but didn't respond. In reality, there was nothing Zuko could do. But she was going to make sure he knew how she felt about this one way or another. There was one part of the plan that Zuko had not mentioned: she'd have to dress like the Earth Kingdom noble she was.

She rolled up her smooth, long sleeves to no avail, they just fell back down over her hands. "I didn't know this stupid mission was going to involve dressing up like a pansy."

"We're almost there. In and out, a couple of hours, tops."

"Still." Toph turned towards him, somehow looking into his eyes in an eerie way. "You're going to pay for this."

* * *

"Ah, Team Avatar! It's funny, whenever I call for Avatar Aang, a whole group of you shows up!" The Earth King stood by his throne, as each of them bowed respectfully.

"Sorry, they come with the package." Aang shrugged, glancing back at Suki, Sokka, and Katara. "You summoned me?"

"Yes! I have wonderful news! General?"

General How stepped forward. "We've been in communication with the Fire Nation's military leaders. It seems that the situation in the western Earth Kingdom was simply a miscommunication led by an overzealous admiral."

King Kuei smiled excitedly. "See? All that stress for nothing!" Bosco rumbled in agreement.

Suki crossed her arms around her chest. "And the attack last week? Another miscommunication?"

The same Dai Li agent that had briefed them in Iroh's tea shop stepped forward. "The news is good on that front as well. While we weren't able to find the perpetrators of the attack, we routed every known criminal organization in the city while you were gone. It appears to us that this was a random attack and the threat has passed."

Sokka and Katara exchanged doubtful glances. "That isn't very reassuring, Commander." Katara bit her lip nervously and looked to Aang. "I don't like this at all."

The Commander sighed. "We can give you a security detail if that would make you feel better, but all intelligence suggests the threat is long gone."

Aang shook his head. "That won't be neces-"

"Aang." Katara placed a hand on his arm. "Details at the apartments overnight would be appreciated."

The Commander bowed his head. "We'll add it to the rotation." He stepped backward and filed out of the room with the rest of the agents.

Once out of view of the Earth King, Aang slipped his hand into Katara's and squeezed. They stopped into the Avatar's offices for Sokka to "check the roost," but really it was an excuse for a drink. Suki raised an eyebrow as Sokka moved a hidden panel with ease to reveal a fifth. "You can thank your girl Kyoshi for that hiding place," he said with a smirk.

Aang took a long pull from the bottle before passing it back to Sokka. "So are we assuming that was all bullshit? What did he even mean about an 'overzealous' admiral? Chan literally said he was there on orders from the Fire Lord."

Sokka shrugged. "I'm not sure what to think. I don't trust How after he refused to help the western Earth Kingdom, but the new Dai Li Commander is a trustworthy guy compared to Long Feng. Maybe it really was just some fluke."

"The timing is just too weird, what with the strike on the Earth Kingdom and the attack on you two all within a week..." Katara added before taking her own swig.

"Even so, all the information we have indicates that things arefine, here and around Omashu." Suki grabbed the bottle from Katara who protested but relented. "Maybe we're just jumpy. Maybe these sorts of international incidents happen all the time and we're just new to Avatar stuff."

"So..." Aang looked at Suki hopefully. "You're saying we could just go back to normal then?"

Normal. Katara looked at the brightness in his eyes, the creeping smile on his face at the idea of going back to their college lives and she felt a sadness that reached her lower stomach. The future that everyone, everyone except Aang, had been preparing for was starting to become their new reality. She knew that Aang never wanted to be the Avatar. He didn't want to be in the middle of wars and assassination attempts. She knew that he had imagined a life of a nomadic monk, meeting new people, spending endless hours with Appa in the clouds. His responsibility was an antithesis to a large part of his nature. So it hurt even more that college, another part of his life he didn't get to choose, was being taken away from him early too, just like his original future had been. She wrapped hesitant arms around his waist and rested her chin on his left shoulder. "Maybe not completely normal, Aang. But maybe we keep an eye on everything, make some plans just in case, and try to finish up our classes for the semester."

"Okay, almost normal then." He tried to hide it, but the disappointment in his voice was obvious.

"Almost normal." She affirmed and nuzzled her head into his neck. "Besides, it can't all be back to normal when I can do this now." She pulled away and smacked his ass before he could respond. He jumped, shocked out of his mood almost instantly.

"Ugh." Sokka turned away and took another swig.

"Can it, Sokka." Suki admonished.

"Oh, Katara...you are really going to pay for that." Aang lunged for Katara but she darted just out of his grip and into the hallway.

Sokka and Suki waited until the new couples' laughter faded down the hall before turning towards each other.

"I'm worried about -"

"He's really got me wor-"

They smiled at their in sync thoughts. "I know Aang is flighty but...it's not like we haven't known something like this was coming eventually. We've all seen the Fire Nation beef up their army and navy the last few years."

Sokka nodded. "It's a miracle things have been as calm as they have so far."

"I'm sure Katara is thinking the same thing. Maybe she'll be able to get him to think about it more seriously."

Sokka didn't answer but stared at the lip of the bottle, debating in his head for a few moments. He set the bottle back into its hiding place. "This is an awful time but I think we need to talk." He held out his phone to her.

* * *

Toph shuffled politely behind Zuko as the host brought them to a table in the back of the restaurant. They were brought to a booth encircled in heated coals. Their party was already there and greeted them with about as much warmth as a block of ice.

With her eyes trained on the floor, no one in their new entourage seemed to notice that she was blind. She knew it would only be a matter of time but it was nice for now.

"Apologies Prince Zuko," one of the men across the table started, "Is this your girlfriend?"

Toph could feel Zuko's panic. "Oh...um, yes!" She resisted the urge to kick him under the table and put a polite smile on her face instead. Luckily for Zuko, years of finishing school and pretending for her parents had made her incredibly good at hiding her true feelings.

The man paused uncomfortably. "And her name is…"

"Oh! Right, um, this is Toph, my girlfriend. My girlfriend, Toph."

She would kill him later. After some amicable introductions, Toph learned that their names were Cheran, Sao, and Omaza. Cheran was the Fire Nation ambassador to Ba Sing Se and decked in obnoxious finery to match his perfectly styled mustache, while Sao and Omaza were his clerks. Omaza held a small notebook in her hand, meticulously taking minutes, while Sao focused solely on the food in front of him. Somehow this division of labor didn't seem to bother Ambassador Cheran.

For a while, they made small talk. The weather, the new motorized scooters that had made it into the city, the upcoming Fire Nation festival they would all be missing. In other words, it was utterly boring and soul-sucking to Toph, but she was skilled in the art of pretending to be interested without offering any real opinion.

As the spicy food was set in front of them for the main course, Zuko decided to broach the subject he had actually set the meeting up for. "So, Ambassador Cheran… have you heard about Admiral Chan? The situation in the western Earth Kingdom?"

Cheran groaned and put a dumpling in his mouth before responding. "Yes, yes, that whole affair. A nightmare for diplomacy, really." His chopstick floated in front of him as he thought about it. "Now I have to hold a gala for the victim's relief fund. A gala outside of the social season? It's just embarrassing."

Toph kept her feet planted and her eyes on the soup in front of her. He still wasn't getting to the meat of the issue.

"A gala? I see."

Omaza flipped through her little notebook rapidly. "You are on the guest list, of course, Prince Zuko. I thought perhaps you would want to take Ambassador Ukano's daughter since they will be in attendance, but I will add a place for Lady Toph as your date."

Zuko turned red. "Oh- yes, perfect, thank you."

"I still think it's crazy that Chan attacked without orders," said Sao, ignoring the surprised look on Omaza's face. Cheran pressed his lips tightly together. "What did he think was going to happen?"

"Without orders?" Zuko pressed.

"Yes," Cheran sighed. "It seems that Admiral Chan had some...imperialistic ambitions for himself. That's what caused this in the first place. After the Avatar stopped his advance, Fire Lord Ozai recalled him back to Caldera City and had him court marshaled from what I've heard. He can't have admirals causing international incidents. I mean look how much work I have to do now! Plan this gala, appease the local bureaucracy. I had a meeting with the Earth King and his generals earlier today just to convince them that it was all a big miscommunication. As if my schedule isn't packed as it is." He turned around and clapped his hands together for a waitress. "Enough of that, this _is_ a social dinner, after all. Let's order dessert now so we don't have to wait for it."

* * *

Aang was happy to chase Katara through the Earth Kingdom Palace. Decorum was never high on his list and he had no intentions of changing that now. While he could have caught up to her if he wanted with his airbending, he liked watching her curly hair fly around as she ran around corners, through gardens, and past startled servants. The Avatar offices were surrounded by one of the biggest courtyards in the entire complex. Katara used the huge hedges and ponds to her advantage, splashing Aang playfully away and using the greens as cover.

For a moment he lost sight of her running between a hedge-Bosco and a statue of Avatar Kyoshi until a hand shot out to grab a fistful of robes and pulled him into a small alcove of greenery. He let her pull him down to her level and kissed her between giggles. It was almost like flying, being with her. Somehow better and even more freeing. He traced his tongue across her lower lip and pulled her tight against him. For now, showering her with kisses was the only thing he wanted to think about. He hummed her name happily. His girl now - his heart could burst from the happiness. "Katara, Katara, Katara…"

Though he had mumbled her name on her lips, she pulled away to look at him. "Yes?"

"No no no," he admonished before pulling her back to him with a steady hand in her hair. "Not what I was going for." Aang let his other hand fall down and wrap completely around her waist, giving her a light squeeze that pulled her up on her toes.

Katara moaned. "Oh, Aang. Let me." She broke the kiss and he whined but stopped when she moved her kisses behind his ear and down his neck. She crouched slowly to her knees, her hands running down his chest as she went. Could anything be as amazing as this? He noticed his own unsteady breath with a little chuckle. The plants behind him tickled his neck and bare shoulder as he let himself lean back. "Let me… beat you to the terrace!"

Much to his disappointment, Katara darted away through the flowers and trees out of sight, practically cackling. While he was dumbstruck for a moment, looking down to where she had been just a second before, a new purpose worked its way into his mind. She wasn't getting away with that so easily. Aang grabbed his staff, which had been quickly dropped when he first found her and ran after her.

* * *

_Haru: Sokkman!_

_Sokka: Haroofie! What's up?_

_Haru: This is kinda awk but I feel like I have to tell you since we're brothers_

_Haru: I was totally blacked the first night of EIW and I may or may not have hooked up with Suki,,,_

_Haru: I know y'all are open but I felt a little bad_

_Haru: But also damn dude she's hot_

_Haru: Eskimo brothers amiright_

Suki handed the phone back, her stomach feeling completely hollow. He took it silently.

"I realize that we didn't set up rules about who we could hook up with, and I realize I'm the one who wanted this, but Haru, Suki? Imagine if I hooked up with Toph."

"I know." Tears started welling in her eyes against her will. "I was drunk and it was a mistake."

He let himself fall into a plush chair. "I have to see him all the time. He's one of my best friends."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Is this why you don't want to be exclusive anymore? To keep seeing Haru?"

Her head shot up. "What? No, I told you it was a mistake. I don't care about him." She almost could have laughed at the accusation if they weren't teetering on the edge of their relationship.

"Then that FF guy?"

"No! Sokka it's not about any of them."

"Then explain it to me!" He looked into her eyes for the first time since handing her the phone and tried to ignore how the unhappiness on her face made him feel. When he'd suggested they stay open, he had no idea it would be this _hard_. Everything with Suki had been so easy, and that's what he loved about their relationship. It wasn't the dramatic, almost fairytale relationship he had with Yue, but more of an every day one. They fit into each other's lives and routines. When she was assigned to room with Katara freshman year, she'd easily joined their friend group.

It wasn't just that though. She was beautiful. She was a warrior like him. She teased and praised him in equal measure He loved how selfless she was. The way she would throw herself into any situation if she thought she could help and would adapt accordingly. They both thought tactically but she was fun, too. Willing to try new things, willing to steal for him as a joke. But the Suki he looked at right now was a different Suki. Anxious, unable to explain what had changed between them.

"I don't...I guess it felt freeing. When we fought the other day, it felt like you were trying to take that away because you were jealous and possessive. Not because you wanted _me_." She bit her lip. "And I really am sorry about Haru."

"Well, Suki, you know that's crazy. Everything with Haru...is annoying. But I can get over it. How could you think I don't want you? You're amazing. I love you, how can I prove it to you?"

* * *

Zuko helped Toph into the carriage and shut the door behind him as it rattled back towards the other end of the city. "So?"

"Something's up." She started pulling pins out of her hair and tossing them at Zuko across from her. He let them hit him, glaring but didn't complain.

"Well, that's not very helpful."

She shrugged, throwing a necklace to the floor. "I'm a lie detector, not a mind reader. All the complaining about the gala was real, but he was lying when he said Chan attacked without orders. Sao seemed to think that was the truth though."

"So you're saying my father did order the attacks? And now he's blaming it on Chan for the official story?"

"Looks like it."

He looked out the window of the carriage. The streetlights were being lit around the city. "But that doesn't tell us what his plans are."

"Hey, I played my role as _'girlfriend_.' You were the one asking the questions."

His hands covered his face as if hiding from the girl who couldn't see him anyway would decrease his embarrassment. "Mai is going to kill me."

"We could always go back and rough him up. I'm great at getting the truth out of people."

He laughed despite the fear of Mai's upcoming reaction. "The last thing we need is _another_ international incident, Toph."

* * *

Katara won the race to the terrace. At least, she thought she did, until he crashed into her midsection, glider unfurled, and they pitched over the edge of the balcony together. He laughed freely like he did when he was doing something childish, as Katara yelped in surprise when her stomach dropped. He let Katara adjust, grabbing her side of the glider's handle and swinging a foot up in its place.

Aang grinned at her. "Gotcha."

She made a face but looked down at the city below, already beginning to settle down for the night as the sun fell. "It's beautiful from up here."

"I'm glad we could get away from the Upper Ring. It's suffocating."

He flipped them suddenly onto their backs, so they were laying on the glider as it flew over the wall of the Upper Ring. They looked at the emerging stars until he pressed his lips against hers greedily. Katara slipped her tongue into his mouth, sighing. It was somehow one of the most comforting things in the world to have him so close. Just as she let herself relax into the kiss, Aang altered the air, tipping them back into a flip.

"Aang!" she cried. "You're making me dizzy!"

"My fancy kissing or my fancy flying?"

"Both! Bring us down by that fountain before I lose my dinner."

"Okay, okay, your wish is my command."

He brought them down to a fountain filled with little floating boats. A few children splashed chubby hands in the water trying to reach the boats. Katara caught her breath, her hair entirely wild, but smiled at Aang. She tucked an arm under his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Thank you, Katara."

"For what?"

He smiled sadly, his head falling onto hers. "For letting me pretend for a little bit. I know we'll have to deal with all of this tomorrow."

"I don't think it's as real for you, in some ways, like it is for us."

"Um…" He lifted his head to lean around and look at her. "I'm pretty sure we fought the same battle the other day, didn't we?"

"Obviously, and maybe this is silly. But you were unconscious for everything afterward. It was really scary seeing you like that. You were so...limp. Everything felt uncertain. I knew you'd wake up, but there was a little part of me that was afraid you wouldn't. Then making plans with Bumi, it felt like we were all just throwing things at the wall to see what stuck."

"Oh, Katara…" Aang grabbed her hands in his. He kissed her fingertips as she continued.

"I don't know what we'd do if you weren't here. What I'd do. We're all so young and have no idea what we're doing, and I think I look to you for what to do a lot."

He snorted. "You know half the time I just ask myself what you would do." She was quiet. He brought a hand to her cheek. "I'm really sorry, Katara. I didn't think about what that must have felt like for you."

"And I know you think we don't need the Dai Li guarding us and I'm being overprotective. But you just don't know what it was like when you were out."

"You're right, I don't. On Ji said you didn't even sleep." He gathered her up in his arms. "Please don't do that to yourself again. Especially not for me."

Katara looked amused. "You would have done the exact same thing." Her fatigue suddenly seemed so obvious. With how much he stared at her on a daily basis, he mentally chastised himself for not noticing. Her eyes suddenly appeared redder than usual, her skin folding up at the corners, a darkening emerging underneath. All her energy from before had been entirely for his sake. He silently vowed to pay more attention to those little indicators.

"I'm serious." Aang put his hands on either side of her cheeks and kissed her forehead. "I need you to take care of yourself if I'm not there. In fact, we're getting you home. You have class tomorrow. I'm thinking… a nice massage, I'll make some cookies, turn on that horrible podcast you like so much?" He couldn't understand why girls were so into true crime. Who wants to hear about murders while they're trying to sleep? But, he knew Katara was an avid listener and was willing to listen to it for her.

A slow smile came over her face. "That sounds...really sweet."

"Anything for you, sweetie." He stood and gestured to his back. "Hop on."

Too tired to protest, she let Aang fly her back like a little kid. But she didn't mind. With her arms wrapped under his shoulders and her head tucked in the dip of the back of his neck, she finally started to relax for the first time in days.


	14. Almost Normal

"Nope, incorrect. Anyone else?" Professor Yugoda said, turning away from what used to be her star pupil. Katara didn't even know what to think. She had gotten a question wrong, something that rarely ever happened to her. Especially not in her healing classes.

She listened to the correct response (Yin Qiao Mai, or the Yin Heel Vessel meridian), and wrote it angrily in her notebook. She angrily erased it, upset by the dark, thick lines she had made, only to rip the paper. Professor Yugoda shot a concerned look her way but didn't say anything. Her eyes burned. She could have cried right there.

Katara would have killed to be in the back row right now, instead of her usual front and center spot. She knew she was behind. The stress of the last couple weeks, the fact that she hadn't done any of her work over Ember Island Weekend, and her sudden intense relationship meant that her studying had fallen to the wayside. And unfortunately, her natural ability wasn't going to cut it this time.

Across campus, Suki was staring at the wall in her history class. Her eyes were glazed over, but she still jumped when the professor tapped his pen on the table every few minutes. Even though she had been the one to suggest they had nothing to worry about, Suki was finding it difficult to relax. So difficult that she wasn't sleeping very well. Her reflexes were on high alert. Something just felt _off_.

And Sokka. She couldn't stop drifting back to their talk the day before. While the conflict between them wasn't fully resolved, they had reached a tentative truce. The truth was, Suki had no idea what he could do to prove how he felt about her. She knew how he felt, in an academic sense. It just felt unstable. Maybe it was his inability or unwillingness to commit to her in the first place that had just created a shaky foundation. Despite the hurt, they decided to really try, and tenderness started to enter their interactions in a way it hadn't before. She sipped the coffee that he had made for her that morning and tried to use the caffeine rush to focus back in on the lecture about Fire Lord Zoryu's political strategies.

Aang wasn't having much luck paying attention in class either. Though his first time seeing On Ji since they broke things off had gone well, he still felt awkward. He'd shoot glances her way, not out of desire, but more out of guilt. He knew that things between them were okay but seeing her made him relive the shame of his earlier self-denial.

It's not like he wanted to pay much attention anyway. Extremism and Unrest in the Fire Nation? He'd seen enough of it first hand just a few days early. "And we can't all stop Fire Nation fleets in their tracks like Avatar Aang over here." His head shot up as his professor nodded his head towards him. "So how might we deal with extremism through diplomatic channels? Teyi?"

As the attention turned to Teyi, though a few people continued staring at him longer than he would have liked, he moved his thoughts to Katara. He dropped his chin to his hands on the table in front of him. No matter how many times she kissed him, told him how she felt, he still found it hard to believe that they were together after all this time. It was weirdly easy to fall into some normalcy with their relationship. They already spent most of their time together, now he didn't have to _imagine_ touching her, he actually could. He wanted to shout it from the mountain tops. Maybe if he was loud enough, she could never change her mind about wanting him. Fear crept up his stomach, but he forced it away. As the clock ticked away, he let himself just think about Katara's eyes instead of his upcoming exam.

"Are you alright, nephew?" Zuko had been mixing up orders all day. He brought teas to the wrong tables, put to-go orders in ceramic mugs instead of paper cups, and even tripped over the little crack in the back. He didn't even trip over it when he first started. He shook his head no, determined to keep working, but Iroh told him to go home and rest. He instead decided to walk and check in on Toph. Unfortunately for him, Toph was completely knocked out, snoring so loudly he could hear it from the hallway. It would take a hundred Zukos to wake her up. He'd have to wait outside the door.

Sokka found himself double and triple-checking the locks on the apartment. Though Katara had lectured him endlessly about their lack of security in the past, he suddenly was taking it more seriously. Every time he felt good about the windows and sat down to start his presentation, he'd have a thought about a door or corner and stand back up to check on it. After a few hours, he knew his presentation wouldn't get done without the help of the library.

_Sokka: Anyone up for libs?_

_Katara: yes, I'm so behind ):_

_Aang: You got it sweetie! I'll come for moral support_

_Sokka: Are you guys going to do this in the gc too_

_Katara: ya_

_Aang: ya :heart:_

_Suki: I need some teaaaa :tea:_

_Suki: Actual tea, not gossip_

_Zuko: JD is open!_

_Toph: Can you shut your mouths I'm TRYING TO SLEEP_

_Zuko: TOPH OPEN YOUR DOOR_

Iroh looked at the four students in front of him with pity as he made their tea, extra caffeine powder in each. Stress and exhaustion were written on their faces. "You will all catch up with time. I understand the anxiety you face over the state of the world. I can't tell you the anxiety will ever leave you. If people in our position didn't care, what would happen to the world then? It's a great blessing to be able to help."

"That's a nice way of thinking about it." Aang smiled and grabbed a moon peach from one of the baskets and took a bite. If he could make the world safe for everyone in it, he realized he would gladly feel this anxiety for the rest of his life. He shot a glance back at his friends, who looked still looked stressed. He wished more than anything to take that feeling away from them. He handed his card to Iroh. "I'll pay for all of them."

Ignoring the ensuing wave of protest, Iroh held his hand up, rejecting the card. "No, everything is on the house today, Aang. I insist."

It was obvious that Iroh would not take no for an answer, so Aang just bowed to his older friend. Iroh walked back towards the Pai Sho game he had been playing with a student and planted his Red Rose piece with precision.

As they walked towards their usual booth, he grabbed Katara's hand again. The more he did that, the more real it felt.

The four friends settled into their booth like always. Katara set up her textbook holder and got out all of her colored pens. Sokka dumped his backpack on the table, pens and scraps of paper spilling everywhere. Aang and Suki were more middle of the road, both just taking out their laptops and a few sheets of paper from class.

A couple hours passed this way in silence as they muddled their way through the work they had been avoiding at Ember Island. Katara's eyes started to hurt. All the definitions and small text were making her head spin. She leaned it against Aang's shoulder. One thing she loved about him was how warm he always was. It didn't matter where they were, he was a nice furnace.

"You okay?"

She nodded sleepily. "Mhmmm…"

Katara was unhappily awoken from her power nap when Toph made it to the library. "Guess what dunderheads? We're going to a gala!" She said in an unnatural sounding sing-songy voice as she pulled up a chair.

"Not all of us." Zuko corrected pointedly as he handed an invitation across the table.

"Oh, right, one for you Avatar Aang, you go Avatar Aang, good for you Avatar Aang...and none for Sokka and Suki, bye!"

Suki pouted. "You did not just use Mean Girls against us, Toph. How could you?"

"Wow," Aang said, letting Katara read the invitation over his shoulder. "This thing looks like it's going to be as fancy as some of the spring balls they made me go to last year."

"We're seriously not invited?" Sokka said and snatched the invitation out of Aang's hand. The thick red paper was gilded with gold leaf. Plumes of fire streaked around the words written in gold.

"Sorry Sokka, it's just not an event for peasants," Toph said sweetly.

"It's a fundraising gala for the victims of the Earth Kingdom attack. Toph and I met with Ambassador Cheran last night to see what we could find out."

"And? What did you find out?" asked Katara, her grogginess almost instantly gone in anticipation.

"Not much," Toph replied begrudgingly. "He was lying about some parts of the attack, but that's all we could get."

Sokka cleared his throat to bring the attention back to him. "Ahem! Hello! Important business over here. Toph, you have to bring me! Do you know the type of food they serve at these things?"

"No can do, Snoozles. I already have a date." She leaned back and threw her feet up on the table.

Suki smiled brightly, very pleased with her matchmaking. "So you're still seeing Satoru?"

Zuko just cringed. "Sorry, Toph."

Katara looked at Suki, alarmed. "You two?"

"Not like that." Zuko shook his head. "I...accidentally told the ambassador that we were dating."

Sokka slammed his hands down on the table, making everyone jump. "I'm going to be missing the food _and_ seeing Toph and Zuko pretending to date? Aang, you need to bring me as your plus one. I am literally begging you."

Aang clicked his tongue. "Ooh, sorry Sokka, I had another date in mind." He turned to Katara, smiling big. He drew out her name as he said it. "Kataaara? Will you be my date to the gala?"

"Of course I will, sweetie!"

While Sokka muttered about the nickname and "bros before hos" no longer meaning anything to _some_ people, Aang jumped out of his seat and spun in the air. He whooped and airbent himself towards the ceiling. "She said yes!"

Red in the face, Katara brought him back down to the floor. "Okay, okay, calm down. We need to get back to work."

"Can't help it! The prettiest girl in the world is going to be my date!"

Katara couldn't help but laugh at his eagerness, but she secretly loved it. She had seen him date other girls, most recently On Ji of course, but he'd never acted with them in public the way he acted with her. He was so open about his feelings and didn't seem to care who knew about it. The PDA was off the charts but it wasn't sexual, just sweet. It was like he always wanted to be touching her, even if that meant just putting a foot on top of hers while they worked or scooching closer to her on the couch. She was almost feeling spoiled at his loving attention. She tried to return it in kind as much as possible. He sat back into his chair and kissed her head while she tried to focus back on her work. To his credit, he stopped talking immediately so she could read her textbook.

Her other friends were not so considerate. Sokka and Suki continued to complain about their lack of invitations, Suki entirely joking and Sokka genuinely offended. Zuko assured them he would make sure they were invited to all of them in the future while Toph pressed salt in Sokka's wounds by listing the various dishes she heard would be served. Suki tried to make him feel better. "You never have fun at those things anyway, Sokka. We can get our own feast at the apartment."

"Yeah, galas are for boring people like Sugarqueen over there and my parents."

"Why are you bringing me into this, Toph?!" Katara scoffed.

This was impossible. The comment was so irritating and so was Toph. She was never going to focus with them around. It felt like she was never going to focus, period, with their new normal. Were bad grades her new normal? Was not getting her work done the new normal? Would she have to move to the back of her classrooms permanently? Overwhelmed with anxiety at the thoughts, she slammed her textbook shut and gathered her things. "I can't focus, I'm getting a study room." She briefly gave Aang a peck and marched up to the 7th floor.

But even in the silence of her favorite study room, she couldn't get herself to focus on the words in front of her. Ever since the attack, she found herself anxious, on edge. Even though she knew there was probably nothing to worry about, she couldn't relax. She just found her thoughts drifting to the attack, to Aang. She tried meditating, tried the Pomodoro Technique, and she even tried blasting the EDM music that Sokka swore by, but nothing was working. She was struck by an idea all of a sudden when she recalled her Healing chapter about stress relief.

Aang was quick to come up with an excuse when he got a text from Katara, telling him to get upstairs ASAP. No one believed he suddenly needed to find a book in the stacks, but it didn't matter nor did he care. He knocked on the door, seeing her back to him through the small window. She opened the door, pulled him in, and locked the door behind him.

"What's up, sweetie? Everything okay?"

Katara didn't answer. Instead, she lifted herself onto the table in front of him. She ran a hand up her knee towards the top of her thigh, bringing the fabric of her dress up with her as she went. She looked up at Aang with a look he knew he had never seen from her before, ever.

His eyes flashed between hers and her leg. "Um, Katara? What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" She let out a small laugh. "Get over here!"

He stepped forward but faltered, his eyes widened as if he was fighting for control of his own body. "Here? In the library?!" He whisper-yelled, despite the soundproofing of the room.

She just smiled and beckoned him closer. He stepped between her open legs, resting his hands lightly on her hips, but still looked a little panicked. "Anyone could walk by..."

Katara rolled her eyes and with a wave of her hand, put a thick frost over the window of the door. "That better?"

He looked back at the window and smiled. "Eh, I probably would've done it either way. I can't say no to you," he whispered conspiratorially before capturing her mouth on his.

She wrapped her legs around his thighs and wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him closer. Their tongues moved frantically and he hummed at the sensation. Aang ran a hand up her thigh and hooked a finger around her underwear, before picking her up slightly to pull them down. Her fingernails dug into his sides as they continued kissing. Dropping messy kisses on her neck, he swirled his thumb where he knew she liked it and slowly slid his other fingers inside her. She whimpered and clutched to his shoulders. "That good?"

"Not as good as it could be." She reached into her bag on the chair and pulled out a foil wrapper, holding it between two fingers with a smile.

He grinned and kissed her briefly but hard. "You're always so prepared."

"What can I say, I'm a plann -oh." He smirked as he was able to interrupt her with a well-timed curving of a couple fingers. Aang had quickly figured out the best ways to break her concentration and he found it all very entertaining. He couldn't believe that he had that effect on her.

He let her unbutton his pants and move his wrappings aside while he ripped the wrapper open with his teeth. Once exposed, she wrapped her fingers around him and moved her hand up his shaft. She took the condom from his hand and rolled it over him. He brought his fingers back out and hovered. "Are you still sure about this, Katara?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled him inside her, making both of them sigh loudly. His eyes closed as he started moving in and out slowly. It felt like he'd never have enough time to truly explore her body but he had every intention of trying. He was determined to get her to finish first. He was quite the gentleman that way, and this time was no different. His thumb returned to its spot just between them and he sucked on the sensitive part of her neck.

"Hey!" She pushed his head away gently. "I thought we agreed no more hickeys!"

"I agreed to do better, not the same thing."

They felt each other through their clothes, Katara making a point to feel all the muscle in his arms and back. This wasn't the slow, exploring sex that they had been having in the days prior. Katara wanted him, and she was going to have him. When he moved to kiss her lightly, she pulled him closer and deepened their kiss into something more animalistic, almost ravenous. For a moment she sent him stumbling back, only to turn around for him, so her elbows were on the tabletop.

Part of Aang could not believe what he was seeing. His normally calm, sweet friend Katara seducing him in the library. The rest of him was very excited by this development and was going to go along with whatever this other side of her wanted. He entered her again and pulled her back up so her back was pressed to his chest. As he pumped and buried his face in her hair, he felt her telltale limpness start, the small shivers he was starting to pick up on as she approached climax. With one arm wrapped firmly around her waist to keep her up, he brought his other around to touch her as her breath heightened. She urged him to move faster, feeling her end approaching with the combination of his thumb and member. With his hot breath on her neck, her end came quickly. His hand slapped over her mouth to muffle her moans as he, too, finished with the tightening from hers.

For a moment he just held her like that, breathing in the smell of her hair while her legs quaked. It took a few moments for their heavy breathing to subside and their heads clear, but eventually he kissed her head and pulled himself out slowly, throwing the condom in the trash by the door. Silently, they fixed their wrappings and he pulled his pants from around his ankles.

Picking up her pencil, Katara sat back down for her work, leaving Aang standing next to her, shocked. "So, uh, Katara...what was that?"

Despite her unabashed confidence when he first arrived, post-encounter Katara looked a little embarrassed. Her eyes were trained on the floor. "Stress relief?"

He wrinkled his brows. "I...okay. Feeling less stressed?"

"Oh yes. I think I'll be able to focus now for sure." She shrugged, making a face. "And Toph called me boring before."

"Don't get me wrong, I love being used for sex, but that was a little...unexpected." She didn't really answer, leaving Aang to theorize on his own. "Ohhhh, I see. Very sneaky, I was just a study aid and an easy fuck in libs."

"Aang!" Katara laughed, finally looking up at him. "I mean, a little. What, do you think I'm using you just for the sex?"

"No, I don't think you're _using_ me!" Aang laughed. He pulled out the second chair from the table to sit next to her. "I guess…okay, I liked that. A lot. But I don't want this to just be a college fling. When we do that, it means something to me. I'm serious about you, Katara. With all the craziness of the past few days, we didn't really get to talk about what our expectations are. And then this..."

Oh. Katara nodded. It hadn't even occurred to her that he may feel insecure about where she stood, but it made sense that he would. While she had been harboring her feelings for him for weeks, he had been trying to convince himself that she didn't want him for months. To her, the seriousness of their relationship had been intuitive. They had been friends for years, of course a romantic relationship would be serious. The seriousness, and her commitment, was implied and obvious in her eyes. She could see how much emotion went into their lovemaking, how much he cared about her. He'd always been relatively clear about and steady in his feelings for her. She also knew how much she cared about him. It hurt to realize that she had given him mixed signals, even if the most recent ones were all positive. And then, she acted like she was just using him for sex; fucking him in the library only to go right back to work, no affirmations or explanation.

"You're right, I'm sorry I didn't make it clear. I was really nervous at first. That first night. I guess it didn't make sense to talk...logistics. It didn't even occur to me that you'd have doubts about what all of this meant."

He snorted. "You were nervous? Spirits, I was out of my mind."

She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked into his gray eyes. "This isn't a fling for me either. We've been a team for so long and there isn't anyone else I'd want by my side. I'm serious about you too. I'm serious about us. I have strong, romantic feelings for you, okay?"

She could see the melting disbelief in his eyes and he kissed the top of one of her hands on his shoulder but started to laugh. "Til death or divorce," he muttered as he pulled her into a tight, warm hug.

"Til death or divorce?" She didn't let him out of her embrace and peppered a few kisses to his neck and shoulder. They rocked together.

"It's a saying you reminded me of, a joke that Gyatso told me a few times. Air nomads don't usually get married, but some have life partners. It's just not as formal as marriage. Impermanence is a big part of our philosophy, so promising you'll love someone no matter what seems ridiculous to air nomads. So the joke about marriages is 'til death or divorce' instead of 'til death do us part' since divorce is so common in the other nations." He paused in thought, slowly rubbing his hand over her back. "I like the idea of marriage, though. Making a commitment in front of everyone you love seems nice. Maybe that's my past lives talking, but I still think it's beautiful."

Katara smiled. She'd never met Gyasto, but Aang glowed when he talked about him. Maybe someday. And though she didn't see wedding bells any time soon, the thought of being Aang's _wife_ made her stomach flutter. Maybe someday for that, too. "Til death or divorce then."

He kissed her and grinned. "Til death or divorce." It was the words, the assurance, that he had been waiting to hear from her. He felt the anxiety and doubt start to flow away. But when his smile receded, Katara could see something in his eyes still.

"Something still on your mind?"

Aang's hand moved to the back of his neck, his obvious tell, as he stepped back. "Well, speaking of _death_...I was thinking we should stay in the same apartment until things blow over. Yours or mine, doesn't matter to me. I'd just feel better knowing where you are."

"Oh, you think I need protecting?" She raised an eyebrow. If anyone else had suggested she needed protecting like that, it would have sent her into an instant rage. Apparently, he was the only person whose protectiveness didn't bother her at all. It was cute, even.

He laughed at her teasing question. "No, of course not. But still. Can we?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was thinking I wouldn't be comfortable knowing you were alone in an apartment without me to protect you."

"I need my big, bad waterbending sifu to protect me, please Master Katara! How else will I be able to sleep?" He clasped his hands together as if begging.

She giggled, that was the thing with Aang she hadn't noticed until he was hurt. He made her laugh constantly. She didn't realize how often it was until he was unconscious. "I'll protect you, sweetie, promise." She glanced back at her work. The fish on her textbook was practically taunting her. "But, I need to work now. So get out. Big, bad Sifu Toph can protect you downstairs."

He opened his mouth in mock surprise but acquiesced. "Whatever you say, lady. Hit it and quit it, I know how it goes for this poor airbender." He kissed her one more time and bounded out the door, a little happier than when he came in.


	15. Dress Up

Katara awoke to what sounded like open hands knocking on her door. "C'mon Katara stop banging Aang, we have to go shopping!"

"Hey, sleepy," Aang whispered, pressing airy kisses around her nose. "Time to get up."

Aang and Katara were wrapped up in the thick gray comforter in his apartment after a night of studying and cuddling. Though she didn't want to leave his warmth, she forced herself out of bed and opened her drawer. Since they were staying together every night, Aang had cleared a drawer for her to use in his room. It didn't take much as the nomad had little clothing, but it felt special nonetheless. She pulled on her clothing and started to brush out her hair with her fingers into something less bedhead-y. She snuck in a quick hug before Aang positioned himself to meditate, and hurried out the door to her impatient brother.

Having already called Appa, the journey to the Upper Ring was quick and Sokka wasted no time beginning to peruse the merchandise.

"What do you think of this bag, Katara?"

"We're supposed to be dress shopping for me, Sokka!" Katara huffed.

He dropped the bag and turned back to his sister, his other arm full of rejected dresses. "You're right, Suki doesn't even use bags. Okay, let's see this one."

Katara strode out of the fitting room in a billowy red dress. "I kind of like this one?"

"Next!"

"Bu-"

"NEXT!"

Katara sighed and went back into the fitting room. She called back out to him. "You were going to buy a bag for Suki?"

He sat down in the chair for guests, taking a glass of champagne from the long-suffering dress shop attendant. "I'm trying to do nice things for her, show her I care. Build back trust and all."

"That sounds very mature." She stuck her head out and smiled at him, but threw another few rejects into his waiting arms. "I don't think this shop has the dress. Onto the next?"

Sokka downed his champagne and handed off the dresses with an embarrassed smile. The nice thing about Ba Sing Se was that it did not lack dress shops. She and Sokka simply walked down the street until they found another. She counted herself lucky that being associated with Aang got them passes to the Upper Ring. There were no shops in the Middle Ring that carried the right caliber of dress for a gala.

Katara thumbed through the dresses of what felt like the thousandth store and sighed. Nothing she found seemed good enough. She hated to admit she was nervous. While her father was chief in the South, she wouldn't call herself familiar with polite society. The unification of the Southern Tribes was recent, and her status as the daughter of a chief didn't matter much on the global scale. Her position as Aang's waterbending sifu hadn't impacted her standing much either because it wasn't knowledge that the upper echelons were interested in. That was a good thing for Toph because if they were interested, her tenure as his earthbending sifu might have been cut short. But her newest position as the Avatar's girlfriend? Polite society would certainly be interested in that. Probably a little too interested.

Something about that unnerved her. It made her feel extra aware of herself. She found herself thinking about her appearance in a way she hadn't before. Was this how Aang felt all the time? No, she decided, probably not. No matter what he was still the Avatar. That was inherent. Katara's position, regardless of how secure she felt in their relationship, would not be seen as inherent, and that meant she had to prove herself. How ridiculous!

"You're stressing over nothing, sis. He's going to love whatever you wear and you know it." Sokka held a dress at arm's length, considering its shape on his sister. He slung it over his shoulder.

She smiled at the thought. Aang _would_ love whatever she wore, even if she decided to go in sweatpants. She was looking forward to hearing him gush over whatever dress she chose. If only she could find a dress worthy of his high praise. "I know he will. I guess it's not really him I'm worried about."

"What, worried about the society girls?"

"Stupid, I know." She felt some green material between her fingers. Scratchy. No thanks.

Sokka pushed aside a few dresses on the rack. "Not stupid. I get it, actually. It feels like we have to prove ourselves a lot here. We're like new money, except we don't have any money." She laughed at the accuracy.

The saleslady appeared from behind the racks with a couple of gold dresses. "What about these?"

Sokka brought a finger to his chin, his other arm holding out a silky dress for his careful examination. "You said he's wearing those yellow robes?"

"Yeah, the formal ones. I don't want to wear yellow and look like an Air Nomad groupie, though."

He snapped. "I've got it! Hear me out."

* * *

Aang, Sokka, and Zuko had been waiting for what felt like hours. At least, that's what it felt like to Zuko in his tight formal clothes. Why did Aang get to be so comfortable? Zuko had to wear spikes and armor, while all Aang had to deal with was a wooden necklace. To Zuko, his formal Air Nomad robes looked like baggy sweatpants and a glorified shawl. Either way, Aang looked way more comfortable than him. They were lounging on the girls' set of couches, waiting for Suki to give Katara the go-ahead. Toph was in her own room with her usual, a hairdresser that had learned over the years how to deal with her distaste for being done up.

"Aang, I'm going to need an Avatar Promise that you will bring a plate back for me."

"For the millionth time, Sokka I will br- oh, spirits, Katara, what-?"

Katara stood in the doorway, her makeup and hair finally approved by Suki, an arm up on the frame in a seductive, but joking, pose. "Oh, this old thing?" she teased.

Aang airbent himself over the back of the couch and looked her up and down. "You look amazing, but the colors-"

"All my idea!" Sokka called from the couch before lifting himself up. "You _really_ owe me that plate."

"Nothing we found felt right, but when Sokka suggested this, it totally made sense. Both of our colors, blue and yellow." Katara wore a long, form-fitting blue cheongsam with gold swirls reminiscent of the Air Nomad symbol but different enough that they looked like waves and wind at different points. She matched his all-yellow robes but still looked like herself, a beautiful Water Tribe woman. The deep blue matched her eyes and the gold accents shimmered even in the basic lights of the apartment. It hugged her in all the right places, but had long slits up either leg by her request, should she need to waterbend. Suki had woven little braids throughout her hair that brought the shorter pieces into a sleek bun but allowed the rest of her wavy locks to remain free.

"The dressmaker thought I was insane until she realized who we were. Then she was more than happy to make the alterations for the Avatar's date and waterbending master." Sokka said, popping some popcorn into his mouth, but smiling. It was incredibly unusual for someone to wear the colors of another nation so boldly. Even though mixed nation relationships were becoming more common, people still stuck to their own colors.

Aang ran his hands up and down her arms. "I can't believe you'd go through all this effort to wear my people's color for me."

Suki popped her head out of the bedroom, coming from the bathroom where she had just finished cleaning up the makeup. "Doesn't she look so good?"

Aang hadn't taken his eyes from hers and grinned. "She looks incredible. In fact…"

He pulled her against his chest and spun her back into her room, sending Suki out into the living room with a light puff of air. The door slammed shut behind them and he kissed her hungrily. She let her head rest back on the closed door and grabbed up his thick robes. He pulled away for a moment to call an apology to Suki before cupping her face in his hands and pulling her back in, sucking lightly on her lower lip before brushing his tongue against hers. This was it, this girl. "You are the most perfect girl in the world, you know that? It means so much to me that you'd wear an Air Nomad color."

She flushed but kissed him quickly. A perk of being pressed against his robes was that she could feel every bit of him through the loose material. Even particularly excited parts of him. "I'm an Air Nomad's girl, I should look the part, right?"

He groaned happily and attacked her with so many pecks she giggled loudly, unable to help it. "Stop, you'll ruin my makeup!"

"Don't you dare, Aang!" cried Suki from the other room, making both of them jump, not realizing their voices were carrying through the door.

They smiled and looked in each others' eyes, sharing one long, last kiss before sheepishly opening the door. He kept an arm around her waist as they emerged, red in the face and beaming. "So, is everybody ready?"

"Yeah, we were waiting on you two to stop making out," Toph answered, impatiently shifting in her dress.

"Sorry, Toph. We'll try to behave," Katara promised.

After bidding farewell to Sokka and Suki who were planning an eventful night in, the four piled into the carriage of Toph's driver for the ride up to the Upper Ring just as night fell.

Leaning back against the seat as the carriage rumbled away, Katara let herself admire her boyfriend. Even though he was flicking the pointy spikes of Zuko's ceremonial garb, she couldn't help but love his silly nature. He caught her eye for a moment, the light in his silver eyes making her shiver, and smiled. Through his thick robes, she could make out his lean but muscular frame. They made him look so wise and important. His arrows complimented her dress, she realized and smiled to herself. Despite her nerves earlier in the week, having him there made that fear begin to fade into a low ebb in the background. The intensity of her feelings for him took her by surprise all the time. The way it hit her in the gut was unlike anything she'd experienced in the past. Since they had gotten together, the impact of her feelings increased exponentially. All it took was one night of passion for her world to be flipped upside down.

With his signature mischievous smirk, Aang pulled two flasks out from the many folds of his robes. "I've got vodka and I've got tequila." Katara made for the tequila but he pulled his hand away. "As much as I love Tequila Katara, none for you, at least not tonight." She felt a roar in her lower stomach at his mention of love. Did he love her already? He took a long pull of tequila and handed her the vodka.

She knew she loved him, of course, she did, but was this _love_ love? Was it the love of knowing someone for so many years, or was it romantic love? Did it matter? It went without saying by now that she had romantic feelings for him, but where that line blurred was unclear to her. She'd found the word on her lips before, especially at night when he held her as they drifted off and in the mornings when he kissed her awake. It just seemed so soon into their official relationship, but maybe that love had been building for much longer. She took a swig of the vodka and let the heat sink down her throat.

Zuko took the vodka from Katara's outstretched hand and sipped at it slowly. While a certain level of intoxication was necessary to get through these events, he knew it was part of his job to be on high alert for anything strange among the other Fire Nationals.

Toph had no such qualms about drinking and gulped down the rest of the tequila. If she had to pretend to be Zuko's date for a night, she was, at the very least, going to make sure that she had a good time. Luckily her lie-detector skills weren't impacted by intoxication.

Their carriage rumbled to a stop outside the venue for a gala, a large banquet hall made for weddings and other charitable events like this one. Aang hopped out of his seat to earthbend a set of stairs and to hold a hand out for his date.

It wasn't his first formal event. He had gone to a few in the past but usually was brought by whichever teacher he was working with at the time. His last one had been as the guest of King Bumi. It was an unadulterated and unmitigated disaster, but loads of fun. Katara was the only one who could top that, albeit in a different way, of that he was certain.

Zuko helped Toph out of the carriage and she kept her nose in the air as trained, took his arm, and let him lead her to the main entrance. Someone unfamiliar with her earthbending wouldn't have noticed the quick movement of her foot to slam the stairs back into the ground.

They passed the threshold and entered the line for being announced. All formal events started with the announcing of guests. Toph stopped in her tracks. "Oh no. No no no no no!" Her eyes were wide and she turned towards Zuko.

Katara rushed forward and grabbed her other arm. "Toph, what is it? What's wrong?"

She shushed her, but in vain. They had already spotted her. "Toph? What are you doing here?"

Katara shrunk back to Aang who wrapped a wary arm around his date once again. Lao and Poppy Beifong were only a few places ahead of them in line. Toph cursed under her breath as her parents came to stand in front of them looking absolutely appalled.

She bowed to her parents, hoping to keep this as civil as possible. She needed to be there tonight to sus out any Fire Nation liars, should they appear. "It is my civic duty to help citizens of the Earth Kingdom in need. I thought since we had dined with him, Prince Zuko would be an appropriate escort."

Lao stiffened but sighed. "Yes, I suppose that is appropriate. You should have communicated with us beforehand, Toph." He nodded his head to Zuko. "Fire Prince Zuko."

Zuko bowed to her parents with the traditional Fire Nation hand positions. Poppy placed a soft hand on her husband's arm. "Let's not cause a scene. Shall we enter?"

"Yes. Toph, we expect best behavior from you tonight." Lao gave one last long look at Zuko and turned with his wife.

Toph bowed again, and her parents moved back to their place in line. The moment they were out of sight, Aang and Katara were back next to them. "Is everything okay?" Aang's eyes were full of worry she couldn't see, but she could hear it in his voice.

"I think it's fine, Twinkletoes, I'll hear about it later but for now everything should be good."

"We should head in," said Katara.

Toph nodded. "I don't have my phone on me, people would listen to the text-to-speech. If you need me, stomp on the ground or something."

Aang and Katara let the other two up ahead and waited around so as to stagger their entrance, admiring the entrance to the hall. It was like the entrance to a fancy theater, with elaborate moldings and light fixtures on a high ceiling. A double grand staircase showed the way to the main hall where the gala would be held. If it weren't a formal event, Aang would have taken Katara up to the ceiling for a closer look. A few nobles passed and bowed quickly, including Mai and her parents. Katara waved excitedly to her when their backs turned.

With enough time passed between them, the pair made their way up to the top of the staircase to be announced. Aang held his arm out and Katara placed hers on top, their hands in front of them. "Last chance."

"What?" Katara jumped.

She was trying to hide it, but he knew her too well. She hated the spotlight and her heart rate spiked at the idea of being formally announced to the entire room. His thumb moved against her palm, resting on it reassuringly. "Last chance to run or forever be associated with me."

Katara rolled her eyes but knew he had easily noticed her anxiety.

"It will just be a moment, and then their attention will turn away," he murmured as they were led to the top entrance. She took a deep breath and patted the top of his hand. Omaza checked her notes and whispered in the announcer's ear as they stepped to the edge of the platform, all eyes on them.

"Avatar Aang of the Southern Air Temple and Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." He liked the way their names sounded together. Avatar Aang and Master Katara.

The eyes on her made her cheeks burn and stomach whirl but it was over in a moment as promised and they were ushered to a table with Ambassador Cheran, a few other high-ranking Earth Kingdom officials, and a few other ambassadors to Ba Sing Se. It seemed Omaza put the diplomats together at the same table. A waiter handed both of them a welcome glass of champagne, which the rest of the guests were already enjoying.

Aang pulled Naashe, the Air Nomad representative, into a hug. She was tall, taller than Katara expected from what she had heard of her. She was soft-spoken and her smile was kind. She embraced Katara as if they were old friends. Her clothing matched that of Aang's, her head only shaved halfway over the top of her head.

Katara gasped when she was grabbed from behind but was relieved to discover it was just Todok, a friend of her father's from the South Pole. "My you've grown. And dating the Avatar now too?" He nudged her with a knowing smile. "Does Hakoda know?"

She loved being around one of her fellow countrymen. Todok made her feel like she was back home. Ba Sing Se was full of Earth Kingdom citizens and Fire Nationals, but Water Tribesmen were few and far between. She made a note to visit Todok more often. "No, and he better not hear it from you!"

Todok looked between her and Aang, who was still talking to Naashe excitedly. "There something I need to take care of for your father?"

Grabbing Aang's hand, she snorted at the assertion. "Aang, Ambassador Todok. Ambassador Todok, Avatar Aang."

Aang bowed and extended his arm for a traditional water tribe grasp. "Pleasure to meet you, Ambassador Todok. Please, call me Aang." Much to Katara's surprise, Momo chose this moment to poke his head out of the many layers of his robe and chitter at Todok. Aang pushed Momo back into his robes with an awkward laugh.

"You brought Momo?!" Katara chastised and he looked at her guiltily.

Todok began to laugh. "I see you've got it covered, Katara." He lumbered back towards his seat, his broad shoulders bumping into Cheran's as he passed.

Cheran bowed to Aang. "Avatar Aang, wonderful to see you again."

"You as well." He pulled Katara lightly towards him from the waist. "Have you met Master Katara?"

As he was going to respond, a commotion for a grand entrance began. The announcer stepped forward. "Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula!" Every Fire National in the room hastily bowed as their leader made his way down the stairs.

Cheran turned to Aang and Katara, excusing himself before scurrying away to greet the Fire Lord. They looked at Zuko across the room. He looked just as surprised as they were. Azula said something to a waitress that made her run in the opposite direction. If she was as pleasant as she was at the bending competition, this had the potential to be a long, uncomfortable night for everyone.

A couple of hours passed quickly in a pattern. Someone would greet Aang and he would respond by introducing Katara. Whenever they tried to steer the topic to something else, he'd tell them about her waterbending or their training together. The only time his hand left the small of her back was when he bowed or when he intertwined his fingers with hers. As often as possible, they snuck to the bar for shots or fresh cocktails.

Despite the never-ending flow of drinks, Aang seemed completely sober. He would turn on his diplomatic Avatar self during a conversation, but once they walked away, he'd whisper something ridiculous in her ear or conspicuously slip food to Momo and she knew he would have a hangover in the morning.

After yet another Earth Kingdom family walked away from them, disappointed to see the bachelor Avatar taken, Aang pulled her quickly to the edge of the room where columns and banners created shadows. He seized her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. "You're perfect. This gala is awful and you're perfect." With more heat, he pushed her against a column, pinning her with his knee between her legs. Momo scampered away in horror but neither of them noticed.

The alcohol had its effect on her as well: his mouth left a trail of fire along her neck. His hands swept down the silk of her dress to find her rear and he thrust up against her, straining to feel closer. He was rock hard and she stroked him through those terrible, thick robes. She recaptured his lips in hers and forced her tongue into his mouth with a sigh.

In these moments it was hard to understand how she could otherwise contain herself around him, or how he had managed to do so for nearly 3 years. Once the floodgates had opened at Ember Island, there was no going back. The sweet taste of wine on her tongue reminded him of their relative intoxication but that wasn't going to be enough to stop him from savoring every bit of her he could. For a few delightful minutes, the rest of the gala didn't matter to either of them.

"Ow!" Katara cried out a split second before the ground under his feet sent him back a few yards. He looked up at her in confusion as she rubbed her side. They were now standing a few feet apart.

A few seconds later, a flurry of red dresses passed next to the column he had Katara pressed up against a moment before. "Oh!" On Ji stopped short, her mother and another girl in red bumping into her back. "Aang!" Her mother sent her the death glare to end all death glares for addressing the Avatar in such a relaxed way.

Aang jumped and began to stammer. He'd have to thank Toph for that well-timed earthbending interruption later. "Oh, uh - On Ji! It's good to see you." He quickly got over his discomfort and moved to give her a quick hug. He turned towards the other two women and bowed with a smile. "I'm Avatar Aang."

"Hello, Avatar Aang," began her mother, still embarrassed by her daughter's behavior. "Please accept my apologies for my daughter, she was certainly raised better than to speak to her superiors this way." On Ji's mother turned back to her daughter to look at her pointedly.

On Ji bowed her head and his heart sank for her. "Oh please, no, On Ji and I are friends, we have class together, the title is really just a formality."

Katara, finally finished smoothing her dress and hair, stepped up to them. "Your daughter is wonderful, really. I'm Katara."

Her mother raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "You never mentioned knowing the Avatar."

Quick to soften any tension, Katara changed the subject. "On Ji, I had no idea you would be here tonight with your family."

Uncomfortable to be around her very recent ex and her ex's new girlfriend but determined to keep her head held high, On Ji just smiled at Katara's gracious assist. "My mother is the President of the Fire Nation Bank in the Upper Ring so we attend many charitable events together."

"How generous of you and your family." She smiled, the signature compassionate one Aang had always loved. "It's been lovely to meet you all, but I believe Aang owes me a dance."

"Duty calls, I'm afraid!" He bowed again and he and Katara hastened away towards their table. Katara started to sit but he stopped her. "Oh, you really think you're getting out of that dance? This was just to drop off our glasses."

With his usual Air Nomad grace, he practically floated Katara to the dance floor by the hand. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her close so that their cheeks touched lightly. "Thank you for being kind to her back there, I'm sure it was awkward for you."

"I just felt bad, her mom seems awful and she's so sweet." Her hands naturally found their place on his shoulder and in his other hand as he started to bring them around the dance floor. She didn't know if it was an airbending trick or if he was just really good at leading, but it felt like her feet hardly touched the ground.

As they spun, Aang found himself wanting to kiss her more and more. He brought her hand to his lips as often as the dance would allow and snuck a peck when he could to make her giggle. It was incredible the way she had fallen in so easily into this boring, bureaucratic role, what he and Sokka had previously called arm candy. She was so much more than that. She wasn't a pretty face to make him look dignified, she was participating in every conversation with the same diplomatic attention that he did. She smoothed over any fumble he made and made him look better than he probably deserved to.

He didn't admit it before, but the sight of Katara in her dress had nearly brought tears to his eyes. Her effort and thoughtfulness in her choice of dress for the gala was further evidence that his earlier doubts were unnecessary. It was a testament to how she, too, took the relationship seriously. Maybe she took longer to come around, but she was all in.

He took a second to admire Katara again; it occurred to him then that aside from the few female friends they had run into, the only woman he really saw that night was Katara. While he knew and interacted with other women, to him it was always Katara and then everyone else. Even those who he had dated before, he saw them, but he didn't _see_ them like he did Katara. Katara was incomparable. She was everything he needed and wanted.

The song slowed, allowing them to catch their breath and rock together with fewer steps involved. He took the time to kiss her lightly and smile at her blue eyes. "Katara," he breathed. "I don't want this to scare you or rush you in any way, but I think you're it for me. I don't know how I could ever be with anyone else."

Katara felt her heart squeeze with joy at his honest words. She could see how much he meant it in his eyes. "You know, I was just thinking the same thing." She leaned her head down on his chest and listened to the beating of his heart, content.

* * *

After a long evening of fine dining and diplomacy, Aang leaned down to Katara's seat and kissed her cheek. "I'll be right back after the toast."

She watched as he made his way up to the front of the venue to stand next to Ambassador Cheran and one of King Kuei's foreign affairs ministers. For someone who detested his role, Aang looked utterly at home. Serene but strong, he listened to Cheran's words with supportive attention, a true statesman. She caught his eye and smiled proudly. A few waitstaff wheeled out a fancy-looking silver bucket with a bottle of wine sitting in its ice and began pouring it into three glasses for each of the officials at the front.

"...and with the Avatar at our side, our nations are sure to prosper together for years to come." Cheran raised his glass in the air from its stem. "To the Avatar!" Aang smiled humbly and nodded his appreciation with red tinting his cheeks.

"To the Avatar!" the crowd replied, as they went to sip their drinks. With her champagne glass to her lips, Katara could only see the flash of red through its curved, murky lens. She barely heard the "How could you?!" over the loud gasps that filled the room, and by the time her glass was away from her face the damage had been done.

On Ji stood, her face as red as her dress, in front of a completely speechless Aang, who was now covered in the red wine from his glass. She held his glass in her hand. Too stunned to even bend it out, Aang watched as the liquid seeped into his nice, ceremonial robes. She'd managed to knock over the cart, the wine bottle shattering on the floor.

Katara could see him say something to her, and together he and On Ji rushed out of sight. She made to stand but Naashe put a comforting hand on her shoulder with a look that said "Don't make it worse." She bit her lip and forced herself back down.

Cheran laughed uncomfortably, trying to bring attention back to the event. "Well folks, that Gaoling wine is really something, isn't it?" Annoyed, he handed off his emptied glass to the servants desperately trying to clean up the glass.

Katara couldn't hear the rest. As discreetly as possible, now thankful for Naashe stopping her from making a scene, she rose out of her chair and slipped into the shadows. She was absolutely livid. How could On Ji publicly embarrass him like that? He was the Avatar! And her boyfriend. Was On Ji really going to be like this about them being together? He had said their breakup went well. Was this some petty relationship vendetta?

Toph fell into lockstep beside her. "They're this way, Sweetness."

"How did you get away from your parents?"

"I'll explain later." She motioned to the corner they were about to pass. "They're over here."

Katara rounded the corner into a small atrium that was open to the cool night air. "What the hell, On Ji?" On Ji flinched but didn't seem to be able to form words. Katara could be scary.

"Katata-"

Katara lunged to grab On Ji and force her to turn towards her, but Aang caught her arm. "Katara."

His eyes were the stone, steely gray when he was angry. "Stop." Katara recoiled at his harsh tone and forceful touch.

Toph looked between the three of them, reserving judgment in favor of figuring out the situation. "Someone better explain what's going on here."

Aang sighed. "On Ji, tell them what you told me."


	16. Exposed

Zuko knew this night would suck. He had prepared himself for it going in. But he hadn't accounted for being stuck between his father, his sister, his girlfriend, the parents of his fake girlfriend, and the parents of his real girlfriend while his friends were off doing who-knows-what.

Besides their initial encounter with the Beifongs, the night had actually been surprisingly fun. At first, he and Toph attempted to pry information about the attacks out of the various Fire Nation dignitaries, but they all were as clueless as they were drunk. So instead, they had started a game: who could get the drunk rich people to donate the most money to the cause.

Toph had started with the other Earth Kingdom nobles she knew. "I even heard that were it not for the Avatar's earthbending sifu, the entire place would have been destroyed by the attack! We're lucky they only need this small amount of aid."

Zuko, of course, favored other Fire Nation folk for his plan of attack. "Admiral Chan made us look so incompetent, we can't let those Earth Kingdom nobles clean up his mess and make us look even worse."

He and Toph had watched, and laughed, as Aang and Katara very obviously went to make out behind a column. Zuko nudged her when On Ji went their way. "Look who's headed on a collision course."

Toph graciously decided to spare them and earthbent the pair apart. Aang's startled expression was totally worth it.

Even better, getting people to donate more was even easier when they realized they could work together.

"Oh, only 300 gold pieces?" Zuko said in mock surprise, shaking his head and looking away as he grabbed a salmon puff off of a servant's tray.

Momo hopped on Toph's shoulder, making the woman yelp. "What is that?!"

"My seeing eye lemur. Anyway," Toph leaned towards the poor lady on the receiving end of their mischief. "The Han's are giving at least 500, dear."

Together, they manipulated the aristocrats at the gala into giving more than the planned goal for the fundraiser. It was shaping up to be a successful night.

Toph held up a drink. "Cheers, to emptying everyone's pockets." He clinked their glasses together and took a long drink.

But after that, things started to fall apart, because then the dinner portion of the night began. Omaza had placed them at a table with their parents. Zuko silently cursed her for being so thorough with her seating arrangements. What came as a surprise to both of them was that Lao and Ozai already seemed well acquainted due to previous business dealings. Lao was the one who had supplied the Fire Nation with mecha-tanks for the attack in the first place.

"If you _must_ date outside the Fire Nation, I'm glad it's with a Beifong." Ozai had said for all to hear like Toph wasn't sitting right there. She munched on the crab cakes without saying a word, even when Momo crashed onto the table to steal some food from Zuko's plate.

Lao took a polite sip of his wine. "This is... a _surprising_ match for us as well, but luckily your family meets our standards."

Toph nonchalantly handed Momo a vegetable momo and Poppy glared at her. "Toph, you should not be feeding random animals at the table."

"Yes, mother," she deadpanned, committed to taking one for the team tonight.

"Zuko," Ozai admonished. "Your table manners are atrocious. What has my ridiculous brother been teaching you?"

"Toph, sit up straighter, please," Poppy demanded.

Azula smirked. "Oh Zuko, still having trouble holding chopsticks properly? It's like our lessons with mom went right out the window."

As Lao opened his mouth to say something off, Zuko cut in. "Toph, a dance?"

She held her hand out for him to take and they walked onto the dance floor. Once out of earshot, she let out a hard breath. "Thank you, I was ready to scream."

Unfortunately, neither Zuko nor Toph had the grace of Aang or Katara. Zuko moved stiffly and without the same fluidity as their friends. He would have envied them if he actually enjoyed dancing. It didn't help that he was going out of his way to touch her as little as possible for Mai's sake. "This isn't much better."

"No, you're a terrible dancer. Way worse than me, and I'm blind."

"Yeah, yeah."

Azula had been sitting at the table without much comment, content to watch everything unfolding around them. Everything around her was pathetic and beneath her. The Avatar, who was twirling around his little Water Tribe peasant, looked far too happy. Lao and her father were both bumbling fools. And why was Zuko pretending to date the Avatar's earthbending sifu? The earthbender looked a far cry from her competition appearance, but Azula could easily see through the makeup and fancy updo. It was especially confusing given that she knew Mai was just a few tables away. As usual, Azula decided to keep all this knowledge to herself until it suited her, and instead turned her attention back to analyzing the conversation between her father and Lao Beifong. She could antagonize Zuko later in the night.

A flash of light drew her eyes to his dance. They seemed so uncomfortable with each other. Zuko looked incredibly nervous. Toph Beifong did not seem to enjoy dancing much either. She glanced at Mai, who was pretending not to be watching the pair. Pathetic. Everyone in this place was pathetic.

Toph and Zuko were grateful when the big toast of the night meant they could sit back down. They watched On Ji run across the room and soak Aang, making an Earth Kingdom diplomat drop her drink on the floor in shock. Azula just snickered as Aang left the room, but then she stabbed a piece of komodo chicken on her plate with more violence than Zuko had seen from her.

"Please excuse me, I need to visit the powder room." Toph rose gracefully, acting like she hadn't seen On Ji dump an entire bottle of wine on the floor in front of everyone. Zuko cringed. With her gone, there was no buffer between his parents or hers.

As Cheran allowed attention to go back to the party and glasses returned to their place on the table, Lao turned almost instantly on Zuko. "So, given our social standing, you and I both know that courting someone like my daughter is incredibly serious. I have to make sure that your intentions are marriage and not something _else_ that people of your age seem to think is acceptable these days."

"I wouldn't exactly say we're _courting_ -" Zuko stumbled. This was ridiculous. His _actual_ girlfriend was just a few tables away.

Lao's perfectly shaped eyebrows shot up higher than humanly possible. "So it's something more _casual_? I-"

"What a lovely couple you and Toph make," a deadpanned voice interrupted before the noble's head came off.

"Mai!" Zuko choked and shot out of his seat. Ukano and his wife were bowing deeply before Ozai.

"Prince Zuko, Mr. and Mrs. Beifong." A ghost of a smile passed her lips.

"Mai is a childhood, uh, friend of mine," Zuko said, getting redder by the second.

"And mine." Azula had risen from her own seat for the show. Finally, something interesting. "Hello, Mai. Feeling rather pitiful today?"

Having dealt with Azula her entire life, Mai was easily able to suppress the eye roll she would have given anyone else. Luckily Ukano entered the fray and bowed to Zuko and Azula. "Zuko, our favorite future son-in-law."

Poppy quietly spit her tea back into the cup. "Forgive me, Prince Zuko, are you courting multiple ladies at once?" Small tears sprang to her eyes, the angriest reaction it seemed she could produce.

"I, uh-"

"Of course he is." Azula looked at Poppy in disgust and watched her shrivel. No one had looked at her like that before. "We are royalty after all."

Ukano looked between the young people in confusion but knew to bite his tongue around the Princess. "Perhaps, uh, I should greet my diplomatic contact in the city, I think he's just over there." Ukano grabbed his wife and off they sauntered across the room, out of the line of fire, but his daughter remained and seemed incredibly comfortable.

Poppy lifted her hand limply, still covering her face. "Lao, please take me outside. I feel faint." Lao acquiesced and helped his wife around a column to a balcony. Ozai followed, shooting a withering glare at Azula. She glared right back at Ozai.

"You sure know how to clear a room," Mai said to Azula. She tried to be angry at Mai, but her friend's blunt humor always got to Azula a little bit. She ventured a smile and to her surprise, Mai smiled back.

Zuko's attention was at the flash of yellow across the room. Aang was back, his robe still stained but maintained a smile as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He grabbed a familiar face by the arm and led him back out the room. "Hey, let's go see what's going on."

* * *

"On Ji, tell them what you told me."

Katara was seething. On Ji had caused all sorts of awkward drama, and Aang was on her side? Even worse, it seemed like he was more frustrated with Katara. Momo clambered up her shoulder and offered a comforting nudge. At least Momo was with her. On Ji faltered again, looking between Aang's intimidating sifus, until she squared herself. "The wine was poisoned."

Katara's heart dropped into her stomach, eyes wide. Poison? Aang had been in danger again. She grabbed his forearm tight. On Ji had likely saved Aang's life if this was true.

"At least, I think," she continued. "I overheard them talking about switching out the bottle for the toast when I was waiting for my mom at the bathrooms, but I didn't put two and two together until… well, you saw me put two and two together."

Toph's composure didn't change, though she gave a curt nod to Aang and Katara to indicate that On Ji was telling the truth. "Them?"

"I don't know, I didn't see who it was."

Katara's anger tempered, she felt bad for being hasty. It was so much like Aang to not automatically vilify people despite their actions, but her more immediate protective instincts didn't listen to reason. She looked at him gratefully for stopping her and she knew he understood what she was silently trying to communicate. "Wait, if the wine was poisoned, then…"

Katara looked up at Aang in horror. "Ambassador Cheran."

After a quick seismic sense check for Cheran, Toph led them back towards the men's bathrooms. Cheran was collapsed on the floor, trying to pull himself up to vomit into a toilet. Aang entered the stall and pulled him up so he could. He let Cheran heave a few times before beginning his questioning. "Ambassador, we think you were poisoned. Do you know who might have done this? Who would want us dead?" Cheran's head bobbled back into the toilet limply and he muttered incomprehensively. He was sickly pale and sweating. The veins in his arms seemed overly prominent and dark in color.

Katara bent some of the water from the sink and tried healing Cheran. He started moving a little easier, his pallor clearing a little bit as she worked. Aang placed a steadying hand on Katara's back. She grimaced and shook her head lightly. Whatever this was, she couldn't fix it with healing alone. "Let's get him out of the bathroom."

Aang slung Cheran over his shoulder as gently as he could and they moved to a side room next to the bathroom. It was for smaller parties and had nice couches arranged for socializing.

Katara continued her work but looked up. "We need a doctor, something to counteract the poison. On Ji?"

"On it."

Just as she pulled out her phone to call for an ambulance, "Sao..." croaked Cheran from the couch.

"Sao?" Katara repeated, the only one close enough to hear him. On Ji was talking to an operator in the background.

Cheran nodded and coughed. "The bottle…" His eyes fluttered shut.

"Sao had the bottles? Who is Sao?" Cheran didn't answer, his mouth slack.

Toph cracked her knuckles. "I know a little weasel named Sao."

* * *

As Cheran was taken out of the room in the stretcher, an awkward silence had enveloped the room. Katara bit her lip. It could have been Aang on the stretcher, convulsing the way Cheran was as they strapped him down. On Ji had prevented it.

In a sudden movement that made On Ji gasp, Katara wrapped her arms around the other girl tightly. "Thank you... Thank you, On Ji."

On Ji couldn't believe that Katara, one of the most powerful benders in the world, was shaking as she hugged her back. She was scared. As much as the scorned part of her wanted to hate Katara for "taking" Aang, On Ji realized she was just as human as she was. Katara couldn't help love Aang. And of course he had fallen for her warmth and sincerity.

Just then the doors slammed open and Sao flew into the room. Katara released On Ji while Aang looked exasperatedly back at Toph. "You didn't have to throw him like that."

"Yeah," she said as she entered the room, "but it was a lot of fun."

Sao scrambled to his feet in a clear panic. "I didn't do anything!"

He was quickly enclosed in an earthen prison. It encircled him so only his head was visible. Toph pulled the skirt of her dress up and tied it in a knot so she could move more easily. "So, you can tell me what you did and why, or these big rocks will crush you. Your choice! And I'll be able to tell if you're lying."

She lightly squeezed the rocks together and he yelped. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Aang protested immediately. "Toph, we don't have to do it this way. Sao, someone poisoned the bottle of wine for the toast. Cheran is in the hospital and he said you were the one who had the wine bottles. Did you poison the wine?"

His face went white. "What? No, I didn't poison it! I just swapped the wine earlier like I was told to. No one told me it was-"

"Who told you to swap it out?" The rocks rumbled.

"I don't know! It was a woman, she just said there had been a mistake and handed me the bottle!"

The doors opened and Zuko, Azula, and Mai entered the room. "What happened?" asked Zuko.

"The wine was poisoned," Katara explained. "Cheran said Sao here handled the bottles."

Toph squeezed the earth around Sao's body more. "Come on, Sao."

"Toph, stop!" Aang hated this. "We can't just torture people to get what we want."

Azula snorted. "Yes, you can, it's quite easy. But it probably won't work on a loyal Fire Nation citizen." She fixed her glare on Sao, his eyes went wide as saucers.

Toph ignored Aang and continued pressing until his eyes bulged. "Now or never, Sao."

"Her!" he exhaled. "It's her over there. I recognize her voice."

As the eyes in the room turned to Azula, she considered her options. What to do when accused of attempted murder? She'd deny it, easy. Unfortunately for her, someone else intervened. The open doors had invited the nosy peek of none other than Poppy Beifong as she was walking back towards the gala. Her gasp of surprise had been drowned out by the noise.

"Azula?" Ozai's features were darkened. His eyes flashed between Sao and his daughter. "What is this?"

Aang brought down Toph's earth cage and let Sao drop to the floor, wheezing. "Azula, is this true? Did you switch out the wine for a poisoned bottle?"

Ozai growled before she could respond. "It was you, wasn't it? Everything you said a few months ago about our investments. It wasn't Admiral Chan with the colonial ambitions, it was you!"

Well, that was it. She could have easily slithered out of it, but Ozai made that impossible. He'd already suspected her hand in the events of the last few months: the attacks on Aang, the "miscommunication" between Ozai and Admiral Chan. This was the nail in the coffin. She'd have to come clean. That was alright, though. She could handle this and show him what needed to be done.

She bowed her head in faux deference to her idiot father. "Yes… it's true. Father, don't you see? We shouldn't be making investments, we should be taking over! Admiral Chan agreed with me and would have succeeded if the Avatar had died like he was supposed to." Mai and Zuko backed away from her. Katara felt like she couldn't breathe and Aang's hand went limp in hers. Azula really had been trying to kill him.

Azula glared at Sao. "Seems like Fire Nationals in Ba Sing Se are as useless as the rest of its inhabitants. The Fire Nation could be so much better if we shared our success with the rest of the world. These Earth Kingdom peasants wouldn't know what success looked like if it hit them in the face. _Harmony_ ," she looked pointedly at Aang and he blanched, "hurts everyone. It makes people lazy and keeps them from their full potential. We should control the land, the wineries, the factories, all of it! Just think about how the world would be if it was managed by the Fire Nation-"

"Avatar Aang, while I have many financial investments in the Earth Kingdom, I did not order any of the attacks on you or the Earth Kingdom. My daughter has gone too far." A quick look at Toph verified it was the truth.

Azula's face contorted. "Only because you are too weak! You just refuse to see the possibilities, the strength of our nation. If Azulon was still alive, he'd have done it in an instant! You don't deserve to be Fire Lord, just like Uncle."

"Azula!" Ozai grabbed her forearm harshly and her skin began to sizzle. Her lips shook and she looked down so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. He turned back to the group, stunned into silence by his cruelty, without letting go of her arm. "Let me handle this as a family matter. You have my word that you won't be attacked at our hand again."

Aang hesitated. While having someone else take care of Azula would have been easier, looking at her charred skin, he hated to imagine what Ozai would be willing to do to her when they weren't in polite company. What would Katara do? He looked towards his girlfriend. Katara's eyes were trained on the Fire Princess and absolutely murderous. She'd tried to kill him multiple times and people had been hurt in the Earth Kingdom because of her actions. They couldn't take Azula in themselves and still feel safe in the city, either. Maybe their only choice was to let Ozai have his way.

"Fine," Aang breathed. "You can handle this in the Fire Nation, but only if you agree to a few conditions. First, you won't physically harm her again. None of this back in the Fire Nation. I will know if you do. And, you let Katara treat her arm for that burn. Last, you need to figure out how this was able to happen. No one should be able to undermine you enough for a war to break out without you realizing."

"You need to clean up house, Fire Lord," Toph added succinctly.

Katara was looking at Aang like _he_ was the insane one in the room, but he remained firm. "And if not, you heard what I did to your fleet of ships."

Ozai nodded slowly, not entirely pleased but not about to protest either.

Azula was trembling from the pain and desperately trying to hide it when Katara reached her. She glared at the waterbender even as the water stitched away the handprint on her arm. "Aang might be forgiving you, but I'm not," she whispered to Azula while Ozai and Aang talked terms. "If you try this again, do anything to hurt Aang, I'll kill you myself."

Lao Beifong, for the first time as a parent, didn't know what to say to his daughter. Poppy was inconsolable. "We will talk about this at your apartment tomorrow morning, Toph. Enough has happened tonight and we need to think about your future in this city."

* * *

Sokka and Suki were halfway through the third season of Bojack Horseman by the time everyone returned. Both were interested to hear how the night had gone, particularly in the Zuko/Toph department. The door opened and everyone walked in silently, Katara's keys dropping into the bowl by the entrance. "So? How was the big night?"

Toph ripped off the sleeves of her dress and slammed the door to her room closed without saying a word. Zuko let his armor crash to the floor before curling up in the plush living room chair. "It was... a lot."

While Aang undid the straps of her heels, Katara answered. "TLDR: Azula's the one who's been trying to kill us and is getting sent back to the Fire Nation; Toph's parents will be here in the morning to discuss her 'future.'"

"WHAT?" Sokka exclaimed. "All that?"

Aang re-emerged from the kitchen trying to rub the day from his eyes. "Tomorrow." Katara wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered something in his ear.

Momo jumped into Suki's lap and purred. "Let's finish this episode, Sokka, and let them all get to bed. We can figure everything out tomorrow."

"Good idea. I'd turn it up, Suki," said Aang with a smile.

"Wha-oh, ew," Sokka said as Aang picked up Katara bridal style and into her room. "Yeah, better turn it up."

Aang airbent the door shut and placed Katara lightly back on her feet. He ran his hand over the smooth, shiny fabric of her dress for the millionth time that night. "You know it's really such a shame the dress has to come off. You look amazing in it."

"Well, maybe it doesn't!" She replied with a sly smile. Carefully setting aside his necklace, she pulled the rest of his formalwear off piece by piece. She stepped back to look at him in just his wrappings, still in her full outfit. She'd seen him like this often throughout their friendship, but something was extra gratifying knowing that his body was now hers. She pressed her face against his stomach and breathed in the scent that lingered there.

Aang twirled some hair between his fingers. "This isn't very fair, Katara."

She glared up at him playfully. "Will you let me appreciate you?"

"Okay, okay!" he resigned with a laugh. "Appreciate away, my dear."

She pressed a light kiss over his wrappings and smiled at the little twitch in response. His jaw tightened when she ran her fingers over the tattoos on his legs. He let his eyes close and his head fall back. Sometimes being with Katara was meditative, in a way. He could even pretend the earlier night hadn't happened. She unwrapped him and he shivered at the feeling of her breath on him. He could pretend no one had tried to kill him, that he hadn't watched the Fire Lord burn his own daughter right in front of them, and that Toph's future wasn't hanging in the balance. "Katara?"

She could only muster a muffled response given that her mouth was occupied with other things, but Aang got the gist.

"Can we stop, sweetie?"

She stopped immediately and stood up. "Of course, is something wrong? Or did I do something?" She searched his eyes for an answer but they were cloudy.

"No, you did everything right." He grabbed a pair of pants from his section of her closet and pulled them on. "It wasn't... It's just... I just don't... I don't know." Aang sat down on the bed and rubbed a hand over his mouth. He looked back up at her, eyes shining. "Can you just hold me?"

"Oh, Aang." Katara shimmied out of her dress as fast as she could and threw on a nightgown. He'd been strong the whole night, through everything, but now he was starting to shrivel in front of her. Pulling him further onto the bed, she wrapped herself around him and pulled his head close against hers. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head and gripped her tighter. "Just this would be nice." She wouldn't push him, but she made a mental note to bring it back up in the future.

"Golden Girls?" She started pulling up Hulu before he answered, letting his face fall into her neck.

He smiled against her throat. "You know me too well. Dorothy is just too much."

"I know, sweetie. I would have pegged you for a Rose fan, though."

He hummed but didn't answer. Katara continued to rub his back as he laughed lightly at the quips on screen. Still, he kept his face buried in her neck and his arms firmly wrapped around her. He tangled their legs together and rubbed her foot with his toes. After a while, Katara slyly peeked over his head to type on her phone.

_Katara: You still up?_

_Suki: yeah what's up?_

_Katara: Do we still have those moonpies? Could you sneak them in here? I'm a little stuck_

_Suki: i gotchu_

Suki slowly opened the door with the stealth only a Kyoshi Warrior could summon, but her stifled laugh gave her away. Aang flinched and brought a hand up in defense before realizing it was just Suki. Katara pursed her lips; he was really rattled. Suki smiled sympathetically at Aang when she saw the look on his face.

"Just me. I'm sorry for failing the 'be quiet' part of the mission, when you said you were stuck I was expecting some kind of post-coital thing, not an adorable fully clothed cuddle fest. I come bearing moonpies, though!"

Aang and Katara untangled slightly and sat up as Suki went back into the living room, closing the door behind her. Katara kept her legs in his lap and began opening one of the packages. They chewed in silence as Sophia chattered on screen, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Psst." Katara said, nuzzling Aang with her forehead. "Psssst."

"Need something?" he chuckled, running his free hand along her leg.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"I think you're pretty cool."

He smiled sadly and pecked her on the head. "I think you're pretty cool. Thanks for the moonpie delivery."

As they settled down, Katara decided she'd push, just a little, before he fell asleep. "I'm not saying tonight, but we are going to have to talk about this."

Somehow he sighed with his whole body. "Tomorrow, I promise."

"Good." She pulled away from their embrace to place a solid kiss on his forehead. And then his eyelids... and his nose, and his cheeks, too.

She could feel his body relaxing more fully, his breath deepening. He was starting to drift off. "Mmmph... Tease..."

She pressed her lips against his firmly, letting her breath out slowly. When she let her head fall back down against the pillow, he was out, lips still open in a pout from their kiss. Something about him asleep was extra cute to her. Her heart squelched in her chest when he involuntarily drew her closer. "Oh, I love you," she sighed to herself.

Aang smiled in his sleep and snuggled into her chest. "I love you, forever girl."


	17. Finals

When Katara awoke, the bed was empty and cold. It was early and light was just beginning to peek through the windows. Though her bed was normally this way when she woke up, it hadn't been in a few weeks. Since their return from Ember Island, Aang had spent every night cuddled up next to her like a little space heater. The events of the previous evening flooded back into her foggy head like a tsunami. The crash of glass shattering during the toast. Charen seizing in the stretcher. Ozai burning Azula. Aang collapsing in her arms. Had he run away?

She sat straight up in bed and breathed a sigh of relief when Aang wasn't gone. He was just meditating by the window on the little orange zafu he'd brought from his apartment. Momo sat perched on top of his head, determined to get his attention and failing. She admired his ability to meditate so peacefully and at such length. Too bad she was about to beat Momo at his game.

She carefully slipped out from under the covers and tiptoed towards him. Placing her feet on either side of his crossed legs, she lowered herself into his lap and tried to pry his fists apart. A faint smile crossed his face but he didn't move, resisting her pull. She giggled and kissed his arrow. "Aang…"

He didn't respond, electing instead to begin chanting in Pali, the ancient language that Air Nomad religious texts were written in. "Jarā-dhammomhi jaraṁ anatīto… Maraṇa-dhammomhi maraṇaṁ anatīto..."

She kissed him, but he continued to chant, muffled, against her lips. "Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānā-bhāvo vinā-bhāvo…" It tickled a little against her lips so she opted to kiss his neck. "Kammassakomhi kamma-dāyādo kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-paṭisaraṇo…" Was that a little falter she heard? She pulled away and saw him fighting a smile.

"Yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi." It was time for her ultimate move. She licked his face from his cheek to the bridge of his nose. "Evaṁ amhehi abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhit-" His eyes opened wide with amusement and shock. "Did you just lick me?!" Momo screeched from atop his head, sharing his disapproval.

Katara looked around innocently. "No, I would never do anything like that!"

"That's it!" Aang grabbed her around the waist and flipped her onto her back, eliciting anger from Momo and laughs from Katara. At first, he pretended he'd lick her back, but instead he kissed her soundly as she squeezed her legs around his waist. "Good morning, sweetie," he said sweetly, nuzzling her neck.

"Are you feeling better?"

He hummed his reply in the affirmative, sweeping loose strands out of her face.

She smiled triumphantly at her comforting powers as he helped her back into a sitting position on the floor. "What was that chant you were doing?"

"It's called the Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection." He looked up, thinking for a moment. "I've been whispering it for most of the morning."

Most of the morning? She nudged his shoulder with hers. "Hmm. Well, what are the five subjects?"

Aang loved the way she was taking an interest in Air Nomad culture and he smiled broadly. "It's about inevitabilities. The first three are aging, illness, and death. The other two are a little more difficult to translate… The line that starts with 'Sabbehi' talks about how all of us will change, even into things we may not like. The next two lines..."

She crossed her legs and held her hands in her lap. He noted she almost looked like a proper Air Acolyte, seated the way she was. "Did you hear when I said kamma a bunch of times?" She nodded. "Kamma means action in Pali. So the chant talks about how everything I do, all my actions, have an impact on me and everything around us. It doesn't matter if those actions are for good or not, they all will have an impact."

Her eyebrows scrunched in thought but nodded slowly. "So like, what comes around goes around?"

"Yeah, kinda! It's a little more complicated, like you doing something doesn't mean the same thing will happen to you, we call it planting karmic seeds- Wait, do you really want to hear all this?"

Katara took a hand in hers and kissed his arrow. She knew a lot of the basics of Air Nomad philosophy, but now that she witnessed his dedication to his practice each morning and evening, she found herself increasingly curious about its intricacies. "Of course I do, Aang. And the last line? You didn't get to finish it."

"Oh," he laughed, "that one just is like 'hey we should think about this frequently.'"

Katara smiled, a little abashed, "Any reason you chose that particular chant today?" She, of course, knew the answer but thought it was a perfect segue to talk about last night's events.

Interlocking his hand in hers, he smiled painfully and sighed. "Well, I guess I needed to recollect them after everything yesterday. Last night, I stopped you because I was… scared. The first attempt was so easy to push away. Sokka and I fought them off easily and then we went and partied for a week. But last night's… if On Ji didn't overhear everything, I… I could be dead."

She squeezed his hand as he paused in his self-reflection. "And the worst part? Azula wanted me dead because I promote harmony? I could see if I was suppressing the Fire Nation or hurting people, but I'm not even a full Avatar yet. I haven't done anything yet. I try to be good to every living being, to be selfless, to help where I can, I-"

Tears filled his eyes and Katara's followed suit. She took his face in her hands. "You do all those things, Aang. And you're going to be an amazing Avatar, I know it. Azula… is misguided. What's important is that you feel like you're doing the right thing. Do you?"

He nodded and smiled lightly. "I do, at least most of the time. That's what I needed the recollections for. Death is unavoidable, I have to accept that. And whatever I do, no matter the intentions, those actions have consequences that I have to deal with. I have to see that clearly."

"It's okay to still feel shitty about it, you know right? Even if you know those things. I don't care for attempts on your life much either."

Without a thought, he kissed her gently. "Thank you for giving me the space to feel without judgment."

"I don't judge you, Aang. I would never." Her eyes stayed closed and she leaned her forehead against his. They stayed silent for a while until she opened her eyes again. "Can I have a turn to feel a little bit?"

She crawled into his lap and he held her quietly until she spoke again.

"Last night was terrifying," Katara murmured as he rocked her slowly. "When you were getting Sao, Cheran started having a seizure. It was so horrible to watch but all I could think was, 'this could have been Aang!' I don't know what I'd do if…"

He massaged slow circles over her back. "I know."

"I'm so glad you're okay. I need you to be alive."

"I need you too. I'm so, so sorry, my love. I promise you I will do everything in my power to make sure you never have to feel this way again, okay?"

She nodded against his chest. It was funny how just a little affirmation from him made her fear melt away for a little while. Even if it was only just in the moment.

"But I'll always be here when you need it. I'm not going anywhere, Katara."

"You called me your love," she returned as if it was a perfectly natural response to his previous statement.

He stiffened. "Is… that okay? I thought, last night?"

She pulled away from him sheepishly. "I, uh, thought you were asleep."

Aang's face turned bright red and his eyes shot wide. "We can pretend I was, it's totally ok-"

"No!" Katara said a little too loudly, retightening her arms around his neck, "I mean, no, it's okay. I meant it last night."

He eyed her carefully, knowing there was something else. "I did too. But…?"

She looked around the room before turning on him with more energy than he'd expected. "Do you think it's early? We haven't even been together a month!"

He chuckled. Of course she'd be worried about timing. "Katara, I think it's okay. I've loved you for years."

"Years?" Her eyes widened.

"Yes, years," he replied assuredly. "It felt natural to say it."

"But isn't that a different kind of love? I mean, of course, I've loved you for years too. Isn't this different?"

He considered for a moment before answering. "To me, the only real difference is that now I get to show you that love in more ways. Sure, physical intimacy made it deeper and more intense, but you've been my person almost the entire time I've known you. No matter what happened to us, there was never a doubt in my mind that I'd love you and be there for you in any way that you'd let me. Do you really think it's too soon?"

"No," she admitted quietly, looking up to meet his gaze.

They just looked at each other for a moment, Katara letting herself fall into his kind gray eyes. She kissed him softly, slowly. He pulled her up to her knees and pulled them together so their bodies were flush. She got that same feeling again, that he was trying to breathe her in. She let him.

Katara wanted to never be able to forget what it would feel like to be with him. Even when he was being forceful, he was gentle with her. Pretty impressive for the most powerful person in the universe. His hands stroked her hair and her cheek. She focused her attention on their callouses, kissing each one. He took his hand back to lift her and put her down gently in the bed.

Aang shimmied out of the pants he'd put on the night prior and pushed her nightgown up over her head. She always looked beautiful, but there was something uniquely beautiful about her when she was naked, in his opinion. Especially when she was waiting for him. He ran his hands over her bare skin, noting her little shivers with pleasure. She outstretched her hands with a small smile to beckon him back towards her. The swirl of lust and love in her eyes for him made him feel like he was drowning in them. He wasn't sure if he would ever fully get used to that feeling.

She sighed when the skin of their bodies touched as he kissed her like they had all the time in the world. Just that little friction was enough to make a heat pool in her center. Their tongues moved slowly together and he breathed her name at every separation. She twisted underneath him, trying to get as much skin to touch as possible. He slowly kissed down her body, eliciting a whimper as he rubbed her nipple with a light touch. Aang smiled as their peaks stiffened and began his ministrations, nibbling lightly against her. She reached down to hold one of his hands and to cup his head as he continued to move along her figure.

He paused just at the base of her navel, looking up at her with a lopsided grin when she bucked her hips lightly in frustration. She rolled her eyes, blushing, and rubbed her foot up and down his leg. Determined to draw this out as long as possible, Aang massaged her thighs and dropped feathery kisses on the inside of her legs. She groaned, his breath tickling her in the most delicious way, and brushed her hand over his head, against his tattoo, and to his ear.

When he decided he'd tortured her enough, he finally pressed his lips to the bundle of nerves and began to suck on them lightly. The way she writhed in pleasure made his own manhood throb. He thought that when he had kissed her the first time, the taste of her lips was the sweetest thing he'd ever know. His experience of the last few weeks proved that to be categorically false. This was even better.

Her skin began to heat and he felt perspiration prickle on her legs. Leaving one last, fleeting kiss to her center, he kissed his way back up to her mouth and reveled in the grasp of her arms around his own neck, pulling him in closer.

He pulled out of their kiss to nuzzle her neck and whisper in her ear: "Can I make love to you, Katara?"

Her breath hitched in her throat at his words. She kissed his ear, his jaw, and answered by pressing her lips onto his with a moan. He entered her slowly, cupping her cheek in his hand and looking into her eyes. Those eyes! Their blue hue was mesmerizing to him. He wanted them to be filled with joy and regretted any time they had been dimmed because of his actions or position. If the words of their avowal earlier hadn't proved what he felt for her, he'd make sure she knew it now.

They gasped together when he filled her completely. As he began to pump slowly, she murmured her feelings in his ear. He purred in response, humming his own back before burying his face in the dark locks splayed around her like a crown.

"I'm already so close," she admitted with a giggle.

"Good," he replied before grinding himself on that wonderful little pleasure spot the way he knew drove her wild. Her back arched against him as she cried out, nearing her end rather quickly given the heat of the moment and his earlier efforts. As he rocked against her hips he brought a hand to her face. "Look at me," he entreated, "Look in my eyes, Katara."

She obeyed and flushed at the seriousness in them.

"I love you, Katara," he smiled like a schoolboy before his eyes narrowed and mouth turned into a knowing smirk. "Now come for me, love."

Those words sent Katara over the edge, and she clutched his back as she rode her orgasm, heaving for breath from the ecstasy spreading from between her legs to her toes. He grinned while she caught her breath and kissed over her sensitive breasts in a way that made her twitch.

The feeling slowly returned to her body and she looked at Aang with a hazy smile. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied softly. "Did you like that?"

"Yeah, but you forgot something."

"What's that?"

Before he could register what his previously limp girlfriend was doing, she'd pushed him onto his back and straddled his lap. "Your turn!"

The beginnings of a chuckle were cut short as she slid herself onto him. She grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him face to face with her, sitting up. He placed his hands on her hips and just looked at her with adoration clear in his eyes as she began to roll her hips. He sucked on her collarbone but she stopped him. "Look at me."

She increased her speed and noticed with delight the longing and happiness on his face. He bit his lip. "Look in my eyes, Aang."

"Oh, don't you da-"

"I love you, Aang," she cooed, flexing herself around him. She felt those signature twitches beginning and she knew it was the right time. Grabbing his chin, she uttered the same words he had earlier. "Come for me."

To her mild disappointment, his eyes squeezed shut as he finished, eyebrows scrunched in focus. Nonetheless, she took true pleasure in the low moan that rumbled from his throat. As the pulsing of his member subsided inside her and his face relaxed, he grasped her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly. They fell back onto the bed and let their limbs tangle and their breath mingle.

"You know," Aang started, finally having his clear head back, "I can see now why that was kind of a jerk move."

She threw her head back and laughed in a way that made his stomach do flip-flops. "I liked it, but no way I wasn't going to dish it back."

"I love you. I don't think I'll be able to stop saying it all the time."

"Well," she smiled, "it's a good thing you don't have to."

The sounds of breakfast being made in the kitchen woke the pair a few hours later. Aang's arm that had been draped over Katara was numb, but it was worth it. He leaned on his back to roll out of bed despite her protests. "I know, sweetie, I know. I want to shower before the Beifongs get here." He kissed her on the brow and walked into the bathroom.

Katara smirked and made a note to herself. It was fun watching him walk away naked, too. She sighed and pulled herself up. She started arranging her hair into something presentable as she picked out a dress from her closet. She decided on a light blue dress that she wore often, not caring to dress up for the Beifongs. Aang emerged from the shower just as she finished up her braid.

He regarded her with a big smile as he pulled on his usual robes. Katara giggled quietly realizing she is the only one who gets to see her boyfriend's chest all the time without it being inappropriate. "You haven't done a braid in a while, I missed it."

Katara pulled her under-leggings on before giving him a kiss. "Let's go see how everyone is doing, sweetie."

"I see the pet name is growing on you!" He opened the door to the living room happily. "Progress!"

Unfortunately, the living room was not as cheerful of a space. Zuko looked miserable from his night on the couch. He sat at the counter with a cup of coffee and simply nodded at them. Aang could sympathize, the couch wasn't the most pleasant place to spend the night. Toph and Suki were on the floor, a plate of bacon between them and Toph's favorite, with The Walking Dead on TV.

"Goooood morning, world's oogiest couple," Sokka said, placing two coffee cups in front of them. He leaned in close and lowered his voice. "We're avoiding all discussion of last night and parents... and the future and basically anything that doesn't involve TWD."

"Got it," Aang affirmed, a strange, excited look on his face. Katara raised an eyebrow at him and he only got more excited. "Did you look in the fridge, Sokka? There's something there for you."

He opened the fridge and stared for a moment before looking up in disbelief. "Is this-?" He pulled out a plate heaping with fancy food from the gala. Sokka clapped Aang on the shoulder and tossed the plate straight in the microwave.

Katara laughed in incredulity. "How did you manage to bring home a plate?!"

He shrugged with a smirk. "A man has his ways. Isn't that right, Momo?" He scratched the little guy behind the ears.

"You need to get him out of here, Airhead! Momo was trying to cuddle with me all night," complained Toph, the first she'd spoken since they emerged. Katara noticed she was wearing her normal clothes, not the nicer outfits she usually wore for her parents' visits. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

The buzz of the intercom made everyone in the room freeze. "I've got it," Katara said quietly, giving Aang and Sokka each a squeeze on the arm.

Toph stood and plopped into a chair by herself and everyone else drifted towards her. Suki stopped Aang with a hand on his shoulder. "Are you feeling better today?" she whispered.

He nodded and smiled. "Thanks for the moon pies."

"We're all here, you know."

Aang put an arm around Suki. It meant more than she would ever know, the friendship of all the people in the room.

The door opened.

The Beifongs sat stiffly on the loveseat that had been left empty for them. Toph sat with her back as straight as a board in the plush chair. No one else knew where to be, but Toph had made it clear that she wanted them there. They milled awkwardly, spread between the other seats and the kitchen. Sokka quietly picked food from his plate as if at a sporting event.

"We didn't realize you would have guests over, Toph," Lao said almost painfully. "I thought we made it clear that there were to be no boys in this apartment."

"They stay," she replied plainly.

"Very well, it doesn't matter anymore, anyway. You're leaving this city. It's time to come home. We were already being lenient allowing you to attend university when you don't need a degree."

Poppy nodded in agreement. "What you need is a husband."

"Whoa whoa whoa, nobody is leaving the city and nobody's getting married," Sokka cried from his seat at the kitchen table.

Lao laughed dryly. "It's not really up to you…?"

"Sokka," he said.

"Sokka," Lao repeated. "This is between us and our daughter. Toph, you have disobeyed us multiple times: boys, earthbending, and you assaulted a political figure last night. What were you thinking? You could have easily been hurt!"

"Toph is one of the best earthbenders in the city, probably one of the best in the world," Aang interjected.

"And another thing," Lao turned on Aang in anger. "We know what your friendship with our daughter is about, Avatar Aang. Quite frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself, preying on a disabled child for her family's money, pretending she's teaching you earthbending."

Zuko stood up so quickly that his chair scraped harshly across the floor. "Lao, you've gone too far."

"That's nonsense. Aang is an air nomad," Katara said gently. "They don't believe in material possessions." She floated towards Aang, who had the expression of a wounded puppy on his face. She placed a reassuring hand on his arm and he rubbed the top of her hand in gratitude.

"Your money is irrelevant to me. Toph is my friend and part of our family."

Lao scoffed. "Either way, this ends here. Toph is our daughter. She will be coming back to Gaoling. We will be setting her up with a matchmaker and any discussion about earthbending, the Avatar, or college is over."

"Enough! Have any of you even thought to ask what I think?" Everyone was silenced by Toph's outburst. Suki and Katara exchanged a glance, realizing their mistake. No one was treating her like a living, breathing person with her own opinions and feelings about her parent's decision. Toph continued quietly. "Mom, Dad, I know that it must have been strange to see me fighting at the gala. But I'm not a beginning earthbender, I'm a Master and I have been training Aang. And you know what? I love it; I love being a teacher. I was even thinking of opening my own school after graduation. Don't you see? My friend showed me that I can help the world. I can help people here."

Aang felt tears begin to prickle the back of his eyes. Toph never spoke like this. He swallowed with some difficulty and pushed them away. "She already has."

Suki moved forward to squeeze Toph's shoulder. "She's incredible."

Poppy's mouth became a tight line. Lao looked at the ground, stewing. Finally, he looked up at his daughter who was waiting apprehensively for his reply. "Toph. This ends now. You are not the daughter we raised. You are being ridiculous. You will return with us to Gaoling immediately."

Toph clenched her fists. The already awkward air in the room turned ice cold. "I'm not returning to Gaoling. I want to be here and I'm needed here."

Lao stood up so quickly it made Poppy gasp. At this point, he was shaking with anger. It was obvious that he was used to getting his way. "You really want to be here, Toph? You would give up your family? Fine! If that's what you really want, I can make you a Beifong in name only. No more money, no more tuition. If you insist on disobeying me and doing whatever you want, you won't be doing it on my coin anymore!"

Katara surged forward out of Aang's grip. "How dare you! How dare you speak to your own daughter that way. She tells you she wants to help people and you say she's giving you up? She's being honest with you! Don't you want her to be happy?" She raised her hand to point her finger in Lao's face before Aang encircled his arms around her waist and spun her away. Her face was red with anger, and it was only Aang's upbringing that allowed him to stay calm.

"You're turning your back on her, not the other way around," Suki added, her jaw tight.

Poppy grabbed her daughter's hand earnestly. "You didn't mean it, right Toph? We can just go back to Gaoling and forget this ever happened."

"I- I don't-"

Lao stomped towards Katara who was still seething but quelled by Aang's action. "All of you have a week to get out of this apartment." Aang stepped in front of her before he managed to get in her face, an eyebrow raised. If Lao weren't furious, he would have noticed the deadly look in the normally jovial airbender's eyes. Lao acquiesced with a couple of steps back.

"It's your decision, Toph," Sokka stated, bringing all eyes back to her.

She squeezed her mom's hand, an apology evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry, mom. I have to stay."

Lao's face scrunched. "You are making a mistake. You are no longer a part of this family."

"You're still our family," Aang added pointedly.

"We have your back, Toph," Suki whispered, both hands on her friend's shoulders now.

Sokka nodded and opened the front door. "And she will always be our family." He looked at Lao as if inviting him to leave.

"Fine. Poppy?" Poppy whimpered slightly, stuck between wanting to stay with her daughter and go with her husband. After leaving a kiss on Toph's forehead she slowly walked out the door with Lao. She looked back sadly before walking into the hallway.

Sokka closed the door.

Toph was numb. Though her parents weren't understanding, they were still her parents. She didn't know why she felt that way, but she did. Toph usually cared more about actions than other links. As much as her friends were trying to help, she still felt numb and she desperately wanted to feel something, anything else.

After a quick emergency meeting in the kitchen, it was decided a movie marathon was in order. Sokka volunteered to make his famous ultimate nachos and Suki elected to help him. Once everyone had settled in around the TV, Momo harassing Toph, Katara laying on Aang's chest, and Zuko twiddling away on his phone, Suki rushed Sokka with a big embrace in the relative privacy of the kitchen.

"Not that I don't love your hugs, but is everything okay?"

Suki breathed in the scent of Sokka's tunic. "Yeah, that was hard to watch. Watching people throw away family…" They almost never talked about it, but Suki had almost always relied on "found families." First the Kyoshi Warriors then Team Avatar at university.

"I know. I can't imagine how Toph is feeling right now." He sighed. "I don't want to throw you away, Suki. I was stupid to act how I did."

She pulled away to grant him a hesitant smile. "I overreacted when we fought and I took our agreement too far, even if it wasn't technically against the rules. I don't want to throw you away, either."

And though they would still have a while to go, Sokka and Suki finally started to heal.

Sokka groaned, hoping for some moral support. When Suki only rolled her eyes, he groaned again. The Gaang was back in their usual spot in the library, a first-floor long table surrounded by whiteboards. This time though, Katara was too busy snuggling her boyfriend to pay any attention to his plight.

"Will no one commiserate with me?"

Toph snorted. "We're all in the exact same boat with these finals, Sokka."

"Yeah," Zuko added sarcastically, "it's almost like dealing with international crises and assassination attempts has impacted our work."

Sokka waved him off. "I still can't believe Professor Zhao wouldn't give me an extension on my final paper, I mean, seriously? We were a little busy coordinating intelligence and defense for the Western EK and stopping Aang's assassins!"

"You were only there for one assassination attempt, Sokka," Katara retorted, having been brought out of her love bubble hearing her lover's name on someone else's lips.

"So?! I don't see how that matters!"

Suki placed a comforting hand on his cheek. He sighed, happy to have someone on his side until she spoke. "Suck it up, Sokka. We're all behind."

As Sokka and Suki began another one of their funny lover's spats, Aang took a second to be in the present moment. He took a few deep breaths. His friends were around him and safe. Katara's hand was in his. He was thankful for everything he had, even the next 72 hours of studying, writing, and finals ahead of him despite how grueling it would be. And yeah, they still had a lot to figure out, but they would figure it out. They'd do it together. Now most of all, he was looking forward to a life with his family… especially one with Katara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone curious, the Pali that Aang chants is from the Buddhist Canon! It's a personal favorite of mine. Here is the full text with a translation from Tharisano Bhikkhu:
> 
> (LEADER)
> 
> Handa mayaṁ abhiṇha-paccavekkhaṇa-pāthaṁ bhaṇāmase:
> 
> Let us now recite the passage for frequent recollection:
> 
> (ALL)
> 
> Jarā-dhammomhi jaraṁ anatīto.
> 
> I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.
> 
> Byādhi-dhammomhi byādhiṁ anatīto.
> 
> I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.
> 
> Maraṇa-dhammomhi maraṇaṁ anatīto.
> 
> I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.
> 
> Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānā-bhāvo vinā-bhāvo.
> 
> I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.
> 
> Kammassakomhi kamma-dāyādo kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-paṭisaraṇo.
> 
> I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.
> 
> Yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi.
> 
> Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.
> 
> Evaṁ amhehi abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ.
> 
> We should often reflect on this.


	18. Winter Break: The Southern Air Temple

"Aang, this is ridiculous, let me see!" Katara cried, giggling, but with just a little edge in her tone. She could only put up with his shenanigans for a short amount of time, and almost entirely to humor him.

Nonetheless, Aang didn't release his hold over her eyes. He guided her up a few steps and she heard the click of a door opening. "Okay, here we go. Surprise!"

He took his hand away and Katara blinked. "It's… a living room?"

Aang looked at her expectantly. "Well, do you like it?"

She looked between her boyfriend and the average set of couches. "It's nice, I guess?"

"You guess?" He waved his hand around at the room. "It's the nicest living room I've ever seen! _And_ , it could be ours!"

Katara nearly choked. "What are you talking about?"

"I went to the Earth King! Got us a good deal on a house. Don't you like it? Maybe you just need to see more of it!"

Aang pulled her through the living room into a kitchen that Katara actually did like quite a lot. Was that a wine rack built into the island? But she was still taken aback at his earlier statement. It could be theirs? Yes, they had affirmed the seriousness of their relationship in many ways already, but in what world were they about to buy a house? They had only gotten together weeks ago! No matter how strongly they felt about each other and their future, this would be absurd.

And here Aang was practically dancing around the place. "When he showed me this one, I just knew you would like it more than the others. It's right by the university, and check this out!" He slid open a door to a beautiful backyard, a garden, a small pond. "Appa can even sleep here! He won't have to go all the way to the fields and we can spend so much more time with him."

Katara felt like her head was spinning. "Aang, slow down." She gripped the counter and he paused.

"What's wrong?" he asked, all enthusiasm drained in favor of concern for her. "Do you not like it? There were other houses I saw that we can look at."

"This is a lot… really fast. I mean we just got together? And I don't want to leave Toph and Suki in a lurch either, I-"

"Leave them in a lurch?" Aang cocked his head to the side before breaking into laughter. "Katara, this rental is for all of us, Suki is checking out the upstairs right now!"

Katara felt her face inflame and she let out an awkward breath. "Oh, spirits… I thought, well… you were buying us a house."

Burying his face in her hair and neck, he laughed. "I will buy us a house... but maybe not for a few years." He pulled away to regard her, grinning. "Even better, I'll build us a house. Whatever you want."

"I like that idea," she said, kissing him. His arms fell around her waist like clockwork and Katara let her head fall to the side so they could kiss more deeply.

Suki cleared her throat lightly from the living room and they pulled apart bashfully. Sokka, getting more and more used to the PDA of his sister and friend, just looked annoyed but didn't comment. Suki smiled. "I'm in, Aang, the place is nice and it makes the most sense to combine for Toph's sake."

"What do you mean?" asked Katara, looking between her friends.

Sokka sat down at the large dining room table that sat between the kitchen and living room. "Aang and I were running the numbers the other night, and we realized that it might be cheapest for everyone if we got a house together now that Toph can't pay rent. We asked Kuei for some suggestions. Zuko is in too! Between everyone's stipends and scholarships, we can easily pull it off. We'll have to break our lease but neither of us mind eating that cost."

"Why didn't you guys tell us sooner?" Katara asked, and Suki enthusiastically nodded her head, as if to ask the same.

Sokka threw up his hands in defense immediately. "Don't look at me, look at your boyfriend."

Aang just shrugged a little sheepishly. "Your finals were harder than mine and I didn't want to distract you. You were so tired you were literally asleep in my lap when he and I talked about it. Plus, I thought it could be fun to surprise you! Sokka and I realize that both of our relationships are sort of new, so it's totally okay if this is uncomfortable for either of you," he said, motioning to both Katara and Suki. "Let me show you the rest of the place first though, Katara"

Aang led Katara up to the second floor, where there were three bedrooms and a spacious bathroom. "We were thinking this could be the guys' floor since we're all heavy sleepers for the most part. Then you, Toph, and Suki could take the third floor." He showed her up to the next floor and brought her into one of the rooms. "I thought this one should be yours, look!" She looked out the window and realized she was able to see a lake in a park a couple of streets over from its height.

"It's a really nice place, Aang," Katara said. She had to admit, she was warming up to the place and the idea. It was really close to campus, and a neighborhood that she knew other people their age lived in. It was also situated near the shopping district which was convenient. It's not like they didn't all already practically live together anyway.

"Can I show you my favorite part?" Going up yet another set of stairs, a door opened up onto the roof. It wasn't totally flat, most of it was shingled and angled so rain wouldn't pool, but there was room for a table and chairs. Though the view was nothing like it was from Appa's back, they still could see over many of the other buildings. Katara pressed her stomach to the railing and leaned over, thinking. "So? What do you think?"

Moving in with her boyfriend and her brother. What could _possibly_ go wrong? She didn't know how to answer him. The different floors probably would give them a semblance of feeling separated, at least. Whatever strain it might put on their relationship might be worth it if they could take care of Toph. Toph probably should be their top priority right now. Thinking of Toph made her feel sick. For someone normally so unbothered, she wasn't taking the rejection of her parents very well. Perhaps living with all together would help her heal from her parents. Besides, she and Aang were really solid, and she was used to living with Sokka from their childhood.

She turned around and looked at Aang's hesitant but hopeful eyes. "I think… this was really sweet of you guys to figure out. We should go for it."

"Really?" he asked, pressing her back against the railing and leaning his forehead against hers. "Are you sure you're comfortable with this? We can always figure something else out."

"It's what's best for Toph, right? Besides, I like the place."

He smiled a smile that made her knees go weak and pressed his lips against hers. After a few minutes and a few long, drawn-out kisses, he finally pulled away. She pouted, he pinched her cheek lightly. "Let's go talk to Sokka and Suki."

* * *

Appa made moving an absolute breeze, an adjective that Katara had never used to describe moving in her life. While they still had to put everything in boxes and get them to the door, Aang and Appa took care of the rest. After one long day, they started their journey for winter break. Aang loved that it seemed like they added a stop on this trip every year with each new member of the group.

The first stop, which was their new stop this year, would be to drop off Zuko in Omashu so he could spend the break with Mai. He even managed to convince Bumi to come visit during the semester. Aang steered clear of Gaoling this year, unfortunately. Normally Toph would spend winter break with her parents, but that obviously wouldn't be happening this year. Instead, she was going to join Suki, Sokka, and Katara at Kyoshi Island. Sokka and Katara's ultimate destination was actually the Southern Water Tribe, but they had insisted that Aang not fly all the way down there just to double back for the air temple. They planned on catching a boat from Kyoshi.

Kyoshi Island was a place that Aang had always loved. Given their appreciation of Avatars, it was a community that always welcomed him with open arms. He loved the giant koi fish as a kid. Gyatso took him there all the time so they could ride them together. He didn't end that tradition just because he was technically an adult now, much to Katara's dismay and Kyoshi Island's childrens' excitement.

Aang decided to spend a few nights on Kyoshi to rest before he was to continue his solo journey to the Southern Air Temple. Each night, the group found themselves staying up late around a table, laughing and telling stories. Each night, Aang would excuse himself to do his evening chanting by the water. Katara noticed he was doing it with more regularity since their return from Ember Island. Where before he wouldn't have let it interrupt his night, he now prioritized his practice. On his last night on the island, though, Katara followed him to spend some extra time in his company before they were to spend a few weeks apart.

"Can I join you?"

Aang smiled up at Katara and patted the sand next to him. "Always. But I'm afraid this might be pretty boring for you."

"I love hearing your chanting. Do you think you could teach me some of it?"

He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Of course. I could double the lines if you want to learn the first part tonight." He listened to her stumble through the Pali, the language foreign on her tongue, and his heart swelled. She was trying so hard to learn something she didn't need to, for the sole purpose of being closer to him and his culture. He'd have to grab her a few chanting guides back at the temple.

After they got through the first bit doubled for her learning purposes, Aang continued with the rest of the sequence that he tried to do each night. She waited with him patiently, trying to familiarize herself with the sounds of the Pali consonants so she could repeat them. She could tell that he went somewhere else when he went through this process in the mornings and evenings. Somewhere peaceful and hopeful. When his eyes fluttered open, she smiled at the utter relaxation on his face.

"So, I have an idea."

"Isn't the whole point of that to not think?"

He smirked but ignored her. "I won't be upset if you say no. But I was thinking, what if you came with me to the Southern Air Temple? I can cut my trip short a few days so you can spend time with your family, too."

"Go with you?" Katara hadn't even considered going to an air temple before. They were so isolated and everyone knew you needed a sky bison to get there. Yeah, she obviously had access to Appa, but she had never even heard of an outsider visiting. "Am I even allowed in an air temple?"

"Why not?"

"I thought outsiders couldn't go unless they wanted to become acolytes," she replied.

He shrugged. "It's rare that people visit but it's not a rule. The temples like the isolation for spiritual purposes, but since so many people return this time of year they won't care." He nudged her with his shoulder. "Besides, are they really going to say no to their favorite monk?"

The idea of being able to see an air temple was suddenly very exciting to Katara. She'd heard stories of what they looked like and seen a few pictures on Aang's phone. It looked beautiful. "I wouldn't be intruding?"

"Not at all. And… I know Gyatso would love to meet you." Aang kissed the top of her head. "Like I said, no pressure. You can sleep on it."

She shook her head. Aang loved the way her hair bounced when she did that. "I don't need to. I'd love to come."

* * *

When the Southern Air Temple emerged out of the clouds, Katara couldn't help but gasp; it was so beautiful and full of life. Aang absolutely beamed at the familiar sight of sky bison, lemurs, and airbenders soaring all around. It was covered in green and water, which contrasted well against the bright white of the temple. Appa groaned happily, seeing his home, and a few bison even rushed up to fly alongside them. Aang patted his head affectionately. "Let's get this saddle off you so you can play, buddy."

Aang brought them down to a set of cave mouths that seemed to serve as a place for the bison to live and for nomads to drop their saddles. Once the saddle was off, Appa left them faster than Katara had ever seen him move. She giggled at his excitement. When she turned around, Aang had his hand out and glider open. Her blue bag was slung around his shoulders. They soared up so fast she stifled a little shriek. The wind around the temple was incredibly strong and brought them up high in an instant. Momo glided next to them, perfectly comfortable. Aang's eyes were closed when she looked up at him, and she realized she was seeing him truly in his element for the first time.

They landed on the roof of one of the large buildings and he helped her into a room through the window. "Home sweet home!" he joked, setting down her bag by the bed. It was a bigger room than she was expecting. There was a pai sho board, a little different in color than she was used to seeing at the Jasmine Dragon, and a small reflecting pool. She knew that this room wasn't the one he grew up in, but rather the one that all Avatars stayed in. Much like his room in Ba Sing Se, the room was sparsely decorated. There were a few old books on the shelves that almost looked like journals.

"Am I allowed to stay in the same room as you, you know, at a monastery?"

"Technically…" Aang said, drawing out the word as he said it, "no, but I'm going to use my special Avatar privileges on this one."

Katara shot him a look. "Aang, I don't want to be disrespectful on my very first visit!"

"It's fine, and I really don't want you having to stay in the women's rooms all alone." He smiled cheekily. "You're my guest and should stay in the comfort of my bed!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Do all your guests sleep in bed with you?" A few lemurs poked their heads in, chittering at Momo. He just crawled up Katara and deposited himself on her shoulder, and they left. She scratched under his chin. "Don't you want to go see your friends too, Momo?"

"I think he wants to show you around. Right, Momo?" Momo nuzzled her cheek and made a little squawking sound. Aang gathered her hands up in his. "That's perfect, then. I should go tell the elders I'm here, but I can't take you into the council room. You can rest or wander around for a while. I'll find you when I'm done, okay?"

Momo turned out to be a strangely wonderful guide. He took her through spiraling staircases and through gardens filled with vegetables in colors she'd never seen before. There were statues of various monks and nuns built into parts of buildings. Young monks ran around cheerfully, almost all surprised and excited to see a foreigner. They left her alone as Aang had predicted. She witnessed flight training among a group of older boys who wobbled around in the sky. Before long, more than an hour had passed.

Momo pointed her towards a patio with a flowing fountain. The water was so clear it reminded her of the ice in the south pole. Katara leaned back on a stone bench and relished the feeling of the sun on her face. She checked her phone in vain - there was no cell service at the temple. She put it away and let herself enjoy the digital detox. Momo happily played in the fountain with another lemur. It was absolute paradise.

Katara's eden was interrupted when something blocked out the sun's rays. Katara opened one eye, expecting a cloud overhead, and instead was greeted by a few female Air Nomads looking down at her expectantly. "Oh! Sorry, did you need something?"

The girls couldn't have been older than sixteen. Before speaking they looked at each other and giggled. She could feel the excitable energy surrounding them. The one in the front, her hair in one long braid down the back of her head, finally addressed her. "Did you come here with the Avatar? We heard he's back for the holiday."

Katara nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm Katara. I suppose news travels fast. We only got here a little while ago!"

"Us too! I'm Enga. We're just visiting. We live in the Eastern Temple. We heard lots of rumors about the Avatar on the way here. Are you the waterbending master he brought as his date to the gala in Ba Sing Se?"

"We never get to go to fun things like that!" another added, "Events like that seem so wonderful but the head nuns are _so_ uptight!"

"News really does travel fast, then," Katara said, increasingly uncomfortable with the scrutiny the young girls were placing on her. There was nothing like the stare of adolescent girls to make you self-conscious. She fiddled with her bracelet, secretly hoping Momo would save her from the awkwardness.

Enga rolled her eyes at her friend's complaining. "Of course they wouldn't let us go to fancy parties in Ba Sing Se, Singi. We're nuns."

Singi looked embarrassed at her own enthusiasm. Katara felt bad at her discomfort. "There were other Air Nomad nuns at the gala, maybe you could go in the future." Singi smiled brightly.

Enga ignored Katara's comment and decided to continue her interrogation. "So does it bother the Avatar that you wear animal leather? He is an Air Nomad after all."

Unconsciously Katara looked down at the leather belt that encircled her waist. The third girl nodded vigorously. "Not super traditional to wear that at an air temple. I'm Choephel, by the way." Choephel looked at Katara's leather items with a little disgust evident on her face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Katara blushed furiously, "It didn't even occur to me, Aang didn-"

"It must be hard dating an Air Nomad when you're from a totally different culture," said Enga.

"I couldn't imagine!" added Choephel, "I mean, you must not know much about Air Nomad culture. You'd think the Avatar would want someone who understands his background..."

"Stop you guys, you're freaking her out!" Singi seemed to be only one even a little bit on Katara's side. "She's so beautiful, of course the Avatar would want to date her!"

Enga threw her hands up in surrender. "We're just saying!"

"Just saying what?"

The girls froze almost miserably before bowing lightly. Katara felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. Aang had arrived just in time to come to her rescue.

Choephen seemed to wake up from the star-struck feeling first. "We were just talking about Air Nomad culture! It's an honor to meet you, Avatar Aang."

Aang's mouth twitched upwards and Katara knew he'd at least heard part of their exchange. "Well, I'm glad Katara had such kind cultural ambassadors for her first trip to the temple. It was lovely meeting you but we actually have somewhere to go." He held his hand out to her with a smile. "Shall we, my love?"

The girls outwardly stiffened at his nickname for her but bowed politely as they made their leave. Aang and Katara shared a little laugh about them once they were out of earshot.

Katara was starting to suspect their discussion had been a little more about fangirl jealousy than her actual suitability for Aang. That being said, she was now incredibly aware of all the little leather bits on her body. The leather belt, the leather laces of her shoes, her animal fur coat - even her hair was woven with a piece of leather to keep it in place. How could she be so stupid? Wearing literal dead flesh at an _air temple_.

Aang pulled Katara through long, winding hallways that seemed all the same to her. "Where are you taking me?"

He flashed her a smile. "We're going to meet someone very important to me before Evening Ceremony."

She stopped short and he doubled back. "Aang, let me change, please."

He quirked his brows before recognition came over his face. "Ignore those girls, Katara, you're stunning. I love what you wear and you'd be freezing without the coat."

She hesitated and he slid his hands over her hips and backed her toward the wall.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded, almost about to roll her eyes knowing where this was going.

"Then trust me when I tell you that Gyatso does not care what you're wearing. He knows so many people from the Water Tribes, he's not going to judge you for wearing your clothes. Besides," he tipped her chin upwards so she would look at him. "I want him to meet _my_ Katara, not Katara trying to be an Air Nomad."

He kissed her then and she was instantly reminded how perfectly they fit together physically. The softness of his lips was unbearable. His tongue ran across her lips lightly. She pulled him against her and let his tongue just inside her mouth before pulling away, breathless. "I just want to be respectful."

He kissed her nose. "I know and I love you for it. But I'm telling you that you aren't being disrespectful in the first place."

When they opened the heavy wooden door to Gyatso's room, his bright smile made Katara feel instantly at ease. Aang was beaming and Katara couldn't help but giggle at the pride on his face. Gyatso pulled her into a warm hug that reminded her of her Gran-Gran's. He held her at arm's length. "So you're the famous Katara."

"I don't know about famous!" Katara replied, still giggling from the attention.

"You're radiant, Katara. Aang's never brought a girl home before! I hope your beauty had nothing to do with how long it took young Aang to bring you up to my room…" he eyed Aang pointedly, but he only laughed.

"Nothing like that! Katara got ambushed by a group of those visiting nuns and I had to save her."

Gyatso nodded gravely. "Ah, nothing trickier than teenage nuns." He motioned for the pair to sit on a set of low seats around a pai sho table while he busied himself making tea. Aang and Gyatso seemed to already be midgame, a few pieces were already on the board. Katara had never been a huge fan of pai sho herself as it wasn't widely played in the South. She struggled to recognize each of the pieces; they seemed different than the ones in Iroh's shop. Aang moved a piece just as Gyatso set down a steaming cup of tea in front of her. It smelled perfectly floral and sweet when she raised it to her nose.

"Thank you, Monk Gyatso," she said a little formally with a bow, "it smells amazing!"

He moved a piece on the board and Aang made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. Gyatso wagged his eyebrows at Katara with a smirk as Aang desperately searched the board for his next move. "So, Katara, I am so glad to finally meet you. Are you enjoying the temple so far?"

"Yes! It's beautiful here. I've never seen anything like it." Katara laughed at herself. She wanted to impress Gyatso and found herself wanting to kiss up a little bit. This was her boyfriend's father figure! She'd never really done the "meeting the parents" thing before.

Aang dropped his head into his hands. "Ugh, you're going to win this game no matter what I do. I've been practicing with Iroh and you still win effortlessly every time."

"Ah, I've still had many more years of practice, Aang. Maybe one day!"

Katara put a sympathetic hand on Aang's leg and he took her hand in his with a smile. She blushed as he intertwined their fingers in plain view of his mentor and friend. Gyatso didn't seem to mind. In fact, he seemed heartened by the display of affection.

The rest of the evening went incredibly well. Gyatso had Katara laughing even harder than her friends usually did with stories of Aang growing up, his own adventures as a nomad, and some good-natured pranks that they had committed together.

As the sun fell, both Aang and Gyatso seemed aware of an impending event that Katara was not privy to. "Do you think Pasang will care if I don't go tonight?"

Katara looked between the two men. "If we don't go where?"

Gyatso eyed Aang as though chiding him, but nodded. "I can make sure he doesn't get upset. But you can't avoid your duty forever."

"Evening Ceremony," Aang replied to Katara. "I would rather... feed you than go tonight."

"Feed me?"

"Everyone already ate their meal for the day, dear," Gyatso supplied. "We eat only once before noon."

"What?!" Katara could only imagine how cranky she and Sokka would be if they could only eat once a day. She was increasingly glad Sokka had not joined them so she didn't have to hear his complaining. "But you don't do that at school."

He shrugged. "Easier that way… and I like eating."

Gyatso rose, presumably to head to Evening Ceremony. "Go on then, Aang, feed the lovely Katara. I expect we will see you for morning meditation and Ceremony, though."

Aang stood and bowed to his mentor. Katara followed suit and saw Aang looking at her out of the corner of his eye, smiling.

When they returned to Aang's room he looked at her expectantly. "So?"

"You were right… I had nothing to worry about."

"Ha!" Aang started unpacking a basket of food. "He loved you."

Katara sat at the desk chair. It occurred to her that this was the chair generations of Avatars sat in to write their correspondence, and it suddenly felt like she was sitting on a chair at a museum. "You think so?"

"I know so."

Aang placed a plate in front of her and served her a few dumplings and vegetables. She munched on a carrot stick happily while he worked. "So how did your meeting go? You were gone a long time."

He took a bite out of a dumpling straight from the basket and spoke with his mouth full. "Oh, uh, totally fine."

She eyed him carefully. "Why are you avoiding the head monks? Is there some other reason you didn't want to go to Evening Ceremony?"

"I'm just... tired and wanted to have dinner with you instead. We'll hear it soon from here anyway and I can chant along." He picked up another bit of tofu with his chopsticks and avoided meeting her eyes. If he could avoid seeing and thinking about the elders, he wouldn't have to think about the content of their meeting, if only for one more night. "Besides, we have a busy schedule tomorrow and need to sleep."

"Sleep? It's so early."

"Meditation wake up is at 4AM," he smirked, looking up.

" _4AM?_ "

"Mhm," he answered through his dumpling.

Katara lowered her chopsticks. "You mean 7 hours from now?"

"Yes, baby."

She may have thought she was hiding her dread well, but Aang could see right through it. He was already planning on letting her sleep through morning meditation and Morning Ceremony but watching her squirm at the idea of starting her day at 4AM was quite fun.

The sound of voices from Evening Ceremony floated in from the main temple and Aang joined them from a seat at the window. Katara strained to listen for the lines she knew. She finished the rest of her meal in companionable silence and settled into the hard bed with Aang when he finished. Katara laid her head on his chest and sighed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but it was so early!

"I'm not even a little bit sleepy," Katara groaned, and Aang laughed.

He slid out from under her and pinned her beneath him. "I have a few potential solutions."

"Aang!" she cried, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. "We're in a monastery!"

He attacked her upper body with kisses, squeezing her hips with his hands as he went. "I won't tell if you don't! Besides, I'm the Avatar!"

He kissed her deeply, letting her tongue slide into his mouth with practiced ease. That tongue drove him wild. He could feel her hair on his forehead as he pressed closer. He loved that feeling. He hummed happily before pulling away.

"But alright, if you won't let me do that, then let me tell you a bedtime story."

Aang eased Katara onto her stomach and ran a soft hand up and down her back soothingly. He told her the story that Gyatso had once told him, about the Three Cart Patriarch. It was a story that had always made him giggle as a child. It was essentially the story of a reincarnation mishap. A teenager, that was the reincarnation of someone meant to spread the teachings of the Buddha, did not wish to leave home and fulfill the duties of his past life. So he told the king that he wouldn't leave unless he got three carts: one filled with wine, one with fresh meat, and one with beautiful women to follow him wherever he went. The king had been advised to give him whatever he asked for, so they got the carts together for him. A little annoyed that they had actually given in to his absurd request, he followed his promise and made the journey to the temple. As he arrived, the ringing of a bell brought back the memories from his former life, and he cast away his carts and became enlightened.

By the time he was done, she was fast asleep, but Aang was still wide awake. He buried his face in the back of Katara's neck. He breathed in that familiar, comforting scent and tried not to think about his meeting with the elders earlier in the day.

" _In complete isolation?"_

" _Yes, that would be best. You will need to have intense focus to master this part of the Avatar journey. No distractions."_

He didn't want to think about a summer in isolation from the world. From his world, from Katara.

" _You will like Guru Pathik, Aang. He is a good friend of mine," added Gyatso, trying to soften the blow. "I know you are disappointed and worried you will miss your friends."_

_Aang didn't respond. He bowed his head._

He knew this was his duty as the Avatar. He knew that his life was not his own. But what about Katara's? Is she _really_ okay with being with someone that belongs to the world?

" _This is why we suggested you be celibate, Aang. Personal attachments complicate the duty of the Avatar," Tashi sighed, almost frustrated with him._

_Gyatso sent Aang a sympathetic look. "He must have normal relationships, Tashi. His life cannot be one entirely of service if he is to understand the world's problems and needs."_

Aang knew they couldn't fathom the position he was in. Aang knew that they meant well. But didn't they see that he was a person too?

_Tashi grunted. "And look where that got other Avatars."_

" _Enough," Pasang intervened. "This is neither productive nor wholesome. His personal life is his business. Aang, you will spend the summer months with Guru Pathik to master the Avatar State."_

He couldn't let the world down, even if that meant possibly letting down his world - Katara. He just hoped Katara would understand.

The next time he opened his eyes, the sun was just coming up over the mountains. It was time for morning meditation. Katara had shifted overnight and clutched his arm to her chest. Her mouth was pressed against his bare shoulder. She always looked so beautiful with her hair messy and lips pouted in her sleep. Gingerly he peeled her fingers off his arm and got out of the bed. He quietly pulled on his robes before tip-toeing back towards Katara, who looked a little perturbed in her sleep. He caressed her face until it relaxed again. He kissed the soft plush of her cheek and whispered how much he loved her before he slipped out of the window.

* * *

Katara woke up to a note in place of Aang in bed next to her.

_Katara,_

_You didn't really think I'd make you get up at 4AM, did you? I hope you slept well. I'll be back to pick you up after we finish up or I'll find you. In the meantime, I snagged you a chanting guide if you want to look through it. There are moonpeaches at the desk for breakfast. Also - check out the notebooks on the shelf. It's my past lives' journals!_

_Love you,_

_Aang_

He was, she noticed almost immediately, already back in the room, munching on a moonpeach at the desk. The notebooks were stacked in front of him as he thumbed through one casually. Katara raised her head, her hair knotted.

He didn't even look up. "Hey, sleepy."

"Hey," she yawned. "What are you doing?"

"Reading my past lives' journals. Trying to get to know them, I guess, but it feels kind of personal."

She sat up more fully. "They're your journals, though. In a way, you wrote them."

He tossed her a moonpeach. Momo chased it from his lap. "But it doesn't feel like it! I mean, Kyoshi goes on and on about this firebender - I don't even know who that is."

When Katara took a bite of the moonpeach she was delighted to discover that the ones here were even sweeter than they were in the city. She chewed thoughtfully, flipping through the chanting guide aimlessly. "Looking for anything in particular?"

He smiled a little ruefully. "Sort of. I don't know what I expected, maybe a little wisdom."

"Can't you talk to them?"

"I'm supposed to be able to but I haven't been able to really make contact per se…" he trailed off, continuing to read. "Ohhhh, Kyoshi is in _love_ with this firebender girl."

Katara threw the sheets back and moved to stand behind him. She read a few lines before stepping back. "You're right, it does feel like an invasion of privacy."

Aang looked up at Katara for the first time and smiled at her puffy morning face. "Think some future Avatar will read about our relationship in a journal?"

She made a face. "I don't like thinking about a future Avatar. I like this one."

"I'm sorry," he chuckled gently, "C'mere." He held his arms out for her and she sat in his lap, laying her head on his shoulder. "That's a long way away."

Katara leaned back and ran her fingers over his face. He let her touch each of his features, kissing her fingers when they passed over his mouth, and just watched her study him. "You're very pretty, you know."

"You're much prettier."

As Katara got dressed for the day, sure to avoid leather, Aang continued to read Kyoshi's journal. It looked like early in her relationship with Rangi they were separated for a long time. Kyoshi wasn't exactly unsentimental, but she didn't talk much about how it impacted her. By her own account, she was buried in work anyway. It wasn't much reassurance for his own summer away from Katara.

Maybe he was being dramatic, but suddenly being away from her for 4 months seemed insurmountable. The physical aspect alone made dread bubble up in his chest, but no contact of _any_ kind for months at a time? He was beginning to see why the council had recommended celibacy.

A soft bell went off in the distance. "Come on, let's head to the dining hall."

They walked among other Air Nomads, dressed just like Aang always did, in the direction of the dining hall. Many of them greeted Aang excitedly and he seemed just as delighted to see them. As they entered the hall, he guided Katara to a table in the middle of the action where a group of boys around their age was sitting. "Aang man!"

Katara looked at Aang in surprise as each of the boys spouted another bizarre nickname and clapped him on the back. "Gentlemen, this is Katara, from the Southern Water Tribe."

They eyed her with smirks and exchanged glances. Only a few of them had their tattoos and a couple weren't shaved at all. One with a particularly big forehead leaned forward and tapped the tips of his fingers together, looking around conspiratorially. "So, Katara… how much is arrowhead over there paying you to pretend to date him?"

The boys erupted in laughter and Aang smiled along with them, shaking his head. "Katara, this is Dolkar, Jamyang, Jin He, Lel, and Ramo." He gestured to each of them, still elbowing each other. "We all grew up together."

Lel nodded enthusiastically. "You're going to have to get used to this ugly mug," he said, poking Jin He's face, "because he's Ba Sing Se bound!"

Jin He was quieter and more bashful than Lel, but smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Apparently, that was an Air Nomad thing, not just an Aang thing.

Katara leaned forward to catch his eye. "Are you going to the university with us?"

Ramo and Lel exchanged a confused look and Aang placed a hand on top of her thigh. "So, some news!" he said enthusiastically. "The council chose Jin He to be my assistant and take care of all the Avatar correspondence and whatnot so I can focus on classes."

A middle-aged monk placed a large plate of vegetable momos in front of them and smiled. The boys all bowed lightly with their hands together in thanks without losing the conversation and Katara awkwardly imitated them.

"You mean the stuff Sokka does?" she asked.

Aang's hand flew to the back of his neck. "Yeah, but there's going to be a lot more coming up and none of us think it would be fair to put that on Sokka alone, at least for now."

Before Katara could respond, Pasang stood up at the front and called everyone to silence. "Amituofo!" A chorus of the same word came from everyone in the hall. "First, let us reflect on our own work and the effort of those who brought us this food. Second, let us be aware of the quality of our deeds as we receive this meal. Third, what is most essential is the practice of mindfulness, which helps us to transcend greed, anger, and delusion. Fourth, we appreciate this food which sustains the good health of our body and mind. Fifth, in order to continue our practice for all beings we accept this offering. The first morsel is to cut all delusions. The second morsel is to maintain our clear mind. The third morsel is to save all sentient beings. May we awaken together with all beings."

Katara leaned over to whisper in Aang's ear, "Do you do this every time you eat?"

He nodded and moved to whisper back. "I at least try to think about it, but to be honest it almost never happens when I'm drunk."

Katara stifled a giggle. With the reflections over, the boys began digging into the momos in front of them. Aang served Katara a couple before grabbing his own. Everyone ate in amicable silence, waiting until they were finished with the meal to talk so as to stay mindful of the food they were putting in their bodies. Once done with the momos, fruit was brought out, as well as a sugary orange-colored candy that smelled like donuts to Katara.

Jamyang laid down his utensils and smiled. "So, Katara, you're from the Southern Water Tribe. Do you miss it living in Ba Sing Se?"

She nodded. "Weird to miss the cold, don't you think?"

"Nah," said Ramo. "I feel the same way when I leave the air temples, even when I want to travel."

"Do you have a favorite place to travel?"

Aang loved the way Katara talked to his friends so easily. Though he didn't get to see them often, his peers were important to his childhood. He was especially happy to see Jin He easily relax around her, given that he would be joining them in Ba Sing Se soon. He was supposed to arrive a couple of weeks into the semester and Aang was a little worried about the lifestyle adjustment he'd have to make in the city.

Katara liked getting to meet so many people who had been part of Aang's life before she met him. She could see where he got a lot of his jokes: directly from Dolkar's arsenal, it appeared. At the same time, she almost felt like there was a wall between her and them as if there were some implicit understanding that she wasn't part of. Aang often had to explain small things they said or define different words. It was more than what it felt like to be in a new friend group, it was like a different world. She wasn't sure what else she was expecting to feel, but she _knew_ Aang. How could his people feel so foreign to her?

Jamyang convinced Aang and Katara to help out with his afternoon classes, which he had called a "handful." Katara thought this meant she would be relegated to watching but Aang insisted she help demonstrate different defense strategies against waterbenders. As a special treat, they figured out a way to bend clouds together into different shapes. First, they made little opponents for them so the children could visualize where their air blasts were headed, but eventually, it devolved into creating the most absurd animals and monsters they could think of. Katara had to heal one child who was laughing so hard he gave himself stomach cramps. Maybe it wasn't _so_ foreign.

* * *

"Something's troubling you," Gyatso said matter-of-factly as he organized the pai sho pieces in a neat row.

"How did you know?" Katara asked sheepishly.

He smiled kindly. "When you're as old as I am, you just know these things. What is weighing on your mind?"

Katara planted her first piece, a white jade. Gyatso responded by planting a white lily. She decided to be honest. "I guess I didn't realize how much I didn't know about the Air Nomads. I'm worried that I can't be everything Aang needs."

Gyatso looked out to the airball court. Aang was feeding the ball to a young monk so that he could be the one who got the ball through the twirling gate. He cheered for the little boy and lifted him in the air when he succeeded. They could see the monk's missing teeth in his gummy smile from their seats. After a while, Gyatso spoke. "No one can fill someone's every need nor does Aang expect it. He will always be in a different position than the rest of the Air Nomads. Have you asked Aang what he wants? What he needs? He adores you, Katara."

She flushed and Gyatso gave her a knowing look. "If you heard the way he's talked about you over the years…"

"He talked about me?"

He chuckled. "Endlessly, dear." She could easily imagine a lovesick Aang venting to Gyatso at the temple, the old man amused and thoughtful, giving him advice.

Katara planted a red rose to form a harmony with her white jade next turn. Gyatso planted an orchid accent tile. He was right, she couldn't be everything Aang needed and maybe that was okay. She knew he wanted her, wasn't that enough?

"Are you content?"

Katara looked up from the board, surprised by the question. "Content?"

"Does being with Aang make you content?"

She looked at him, playing airball with three children dangling off him to try to slow him down. He was pretending the one clutching his arm made it impossible to lift, roaring in fake agony. "He's the best person I've ever met."

"Then Katara, my dear, don't concern yourself with things you cannot change. Act on what is. There may be people who don't approve of your relationship but I will never be one of them. I see the way you care for him. He's called you his strength and I can see why."

His strength? Katara didn't know if she deserved the title, but she was newly determined to live up to it. Aang caught her gaze and smiled. He really had loved her for years. She smiled back.

Gyatso formed a 3-way harmony that Katara hadn't expected. She scrunched her brows in frustration. "I was thinking, would you like to join us for Evening Ceremony tonight?"

"I would absolutely love that. I don't know the words, I'm afraid, but Aang has been teaching me bit by bit." Katara planted the white lotus piece in the southern gate.

Gyatso blinked and looked up at her. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit… Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

Katara just looked nervous. "Should I not have used the white lotus? I'm so hopeless at pai sho." She dropped her head into her hands.

Gyatso only laughed good-naturedly, a type of laugh she was sure she'd never heard from anyone. Somehow it didn't make her feel bad. "No, no, the white lotus is a very good move, young one."

A bell began to ring and the children ran up the hill towards evening meditation. Aang helped both Gyatso and Katara stand up from their seats with either hand. "Man, here I thought those kids liked me."

"Silence is far more enjoyable than listening to you, sweetie, sorry!"

Aang gasped dramatically and laughed. "Wow, just wow."

After a quick break in which Aang and Katara snuck a dinner in, they were off to meditation. "Are you _sure_ you want to do this Katara? It's a 2-hour meditation… have you ever meditated that long?"

Katara insisted despite her limited experience and spent the better part of 2 hours squirming, opening and closing her eyes, and generally not finding much peace. Every time she peeked at him, Aang was frozen, breathing evenly and looking utterly serene. Where did he go when he meditated? Even Momo was doing a better job than her, sitting quietly in Aang's lap. When the bowl sounded to signal the end of the meditation, Katara found herself utterly relieved. She was going to have to practice. Aang opened his eyes slowly and smiled at her before sneaking her around a corner and kissing her hard.

He sighed into their kiss, his body still buzzing from the meditation. "I love you."

"Really?" She kept her forehead against his. She was sure that he had heard her fidget in boredom for the entirety of the meditation and hated her for it.

"Really."

* * *

Katara was a little nervous for Evening Ceremony and she wasn't entirely sure why. Aang assured her that a lot of people were still learning the chants so she wouldn't be alone. The younger children and acolytes were in the exact same boat as she was. Besides the five members of the council, everyone sat wherever they wanted, so Aang took a zafu by the back and patted on the one next to him for Katara.

She was amazed by the ceremony. Incense was lit and at various points, monks would circumambulate with instruments that she didn't recognize. She could feel the rumbling from their throats in her chest as the chanting continued. Aang knew the entire thing by heart while she struggled through the various lines, still unable to fully follow the musicality of the chants that everyone else seemed to know implicitly. At certain parts standing monks would give half bows, and others full ones. Sometimes all of the participants would prostrate themselves. Katara stumbled through the Pali and Aang would squeeze her hand encouragingly when he sensed her get frustrated.

He couldn't understand how he had gotten so lucky. Katara was trying so hard for no other reason but to make him happy. Each day, he could see her try to hide her excitement when she got better and better with the Pali. She even started rising early for morning meditation, though she still struggled with this, and Morning Ceremony as well. Katara was utterly exhausted at the end of each day but found an amazingly comfortable chest to sleep on each evening. After two weeks, Katara was proud to have mostly memorized both ceremonies. She even felt the buzzing feeling Aang had talked about during meditation and almost grabbed him to tell him in her excitement but had to wait another hour for the meditation to end.

After learning he was the Avatar, Aang wasn't sure how his culture would fit into his life going forward. Even if he were in a relationship with an Air Nomad, he imagined that their practice and culture would somewhat fall to the wayside with everything he would need to deal with. After all, the disputes the Avatar dealt with were almost never involving Air Nomads. Going into his relationship with Katara, he also knew that parts of his culture wouldn't make it into their relationship and that was okay. Now with Katara's efforts, he was seeing that maybe that wasn't the case. She'd never be an Air Nomad, and he didn't want her to be, but she was taking the time to understand his background in a way that no one ever had before. He'd need to do the same when they reached the Southern Water Tribe.

When the time came for the pair to leave the Southern Air Temple, neither wanted to go. Katara, though still feeling a bit out of place, had found her stride. She felt like she knew Aang on a deeper, more intimate level than before, and relished in it. The relative calm and peace of the temple, excluding any pie-related pranks, was wholly tempting. Katara could imagine living a quiet, meditative life there. Maybe spending her time mending Air Nomads from training accidents or healing everyday ailments. It was a fantasy, for sure, but Katara felt a small sense of loss that she imagined Aang felt every day. He'd never said it explicitly, but she knew he wanted a quiet life.

Gyatso came to see them off and couldn't help but shed a few tears. He grasped Katara by the shoulders before drawing her in for a hug. "Come back anytime, Katara. You have a place with us and Aang, always."

She hugged him tightly back. Aang cried as well, especially when Gyatso mentioned not seeing him over the summer like usual. Katara wasn't sure why that would be the case but ignored the comment. Gyatso vowed to visit them in Ba Sing Se with his own bison before the semester was over.

As Appa rose in the air, Aang gripped Katara's hand tightly. They curled up in the back of the saddle and Katara rested her head on his shoulder, a light hand caressing his back, as he watched the temple disappear into the clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a small disclaimer, I based a lot of the temple activities on Chan Buddhist ones rather than Tibetan ones, entirely because that is what I know better. I didn't want to fly blind and write Tibetan ones I didn't understand. The Air Nomads, I'm sure that you all know, were based on Tibetan Buddhists, who have some slightly different practices and an additional set of canon texts. The Three Cart Patriarch is real and one of my favorite stories, link below!
> 
> As always, big thank you to my beta!
> 
> Google: Three Cart Patriarch and the story will be the second result. The website is drbachinese!


	19. Winter Break: The Southern Water Tribe

The sun had long set by the time the fires at Katara's home village came into view on the horizon. They'd had a prolonged day of traveling, but Katara was excited to see her family for the first time in months. She loved her life in Ba Sing Se but missed the comfort of Gran Gran and the company of her father. Every year, her village grew in size. With the guidance of Pakku, large buildings had been erected that could hold more people than Katara had grown up with. It was at a central location for many of the villages, and Hakoda's election as Head Chieftain had solidified the village's place as de facto capital of the Southern Water Tribe. As a result, more and more people moved there each year. There were modern-style buildings dispersed amongst traditional igloos.

No doubt hearing Appa's delight at finally being able to land, Sokka ran out of one of the bigger igloos as fast as he could through the snow with his arms waving. Though Hakoda was Head Chieftain, he still preferred the traditional housing over newer apartments. Aang steered Appa to the outskirts of the village, which was probably soon to be called a city, where a shelter had been built for sky bison years earlier when he first came to study under Pakku. There was already fresh hay left out for him, presumably by Sokka, in preparation for their arrival. Appa was incredibly relieved when Aang took off his saddle and immediately got down to business with the hay.

Aang had already put on his traveling cloak to ward against the cold and Katara added an extra layer as they approached the southern pole. Sokka met Katara in a bear hug and Aang got one quickly after. "How was the temple? I bet you're dying for meat, Katara."

"The temple was amazing!" she replied but smiled at the thought of eating meat again. "I loved the food there but I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to some seal jerky."

"C'mon, let's get you guys inside. Everyone is asleep, but I saved you some dinner. I even had Gran cook extra noodles and veggies for Mr. Vegetarian."

Aang was touched that Sokka, King of All Things Meat, would go out of his way like that to get him a decent meal. "Thanks, Sokka, it really means a lot."

Sokka led them into the igloo that was Hakoda's home. They had only moved into it when Katara was a teenager as their family grew. Hakoda felt better having Gran Gran and Pakku living in the same house as they aged, though most everyone knew that he probably felt increasingly lonely as his children grew older and needed him less. There were four bedrooms so everyone could have their privacy.

Katara took off her outer layer so she was in her normal, light dress. Aang stoked the fire in the center of the igloo to heat up the leftover food. Sokka spoke in a hushed voice to avoid waking anyone up at the late hour. "So, they were going to put Aang up at the inn but I told them that was ridiculous. They think you're staying in my room, you're lucky Katara and I share a bathroom. No need to thank me!"

Katara laughed at Sokka's maneuvering. "Thank you, Sokka," she said through her smile. "Do they know we're together?"

"Yeah, and thanks a lot for leaving that to me, sis."

Aang looked between the siblings, who often forgot about his presence when they went back and forth. He didn't mind, but in this case, he was especially interested to hear where this went. It was a little surprising to Aang that Katara had failed to mention her new relationship to her family. Yes, things had been all over the place lately and they were quite busy, but she talked to Hakoda and Kanna pretty frequently. In fact, there were more than a few times where he had to pretend not to be in her room when she called them.

"Well? Did dad say anything?"

Sokka ripped off a piece of seal jerky with his teeth. "Not really. I think he was a little surprised."

"Surprised?" Katara huffed. "That's so like him."

Aang exchanged a glance with Sokka over his noodles who only rolled his eyes. "Take it up with dad. Anyway, I'm going to bed."

Sokka patted both Aang and Katara on their heads as they whispered their goodnights. When his door closed, Katara leaned back on her hands and breathed deeply. She had missed the familiar smells of home, the smoky smell that emanated from their hearths and seeped into everything they owned. When she opened her eyes she found Aang watching her. "Happy to be home?"

Katara reached forward to pop another sea prune in her mouth. "I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I was talking to Jamyang the other day."

"I would've brought us here sooner if I knew how happy being home would make you."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, enjoying the little tint of red that passed his face from the little touch of her fingers. Something about Aang was particularly attractive in the light of the fire. She wasn't sure if it was the dark shadows it cast across his eyes and cheeks or if the fire brought out some other nature in him.

He seemed entirely oblivious to her thoughts until she took the dish from his hand and set it aside to sink into his lap. Katara wrapped her legs around his waist and his hands naturally found their place around her bottom. The way she was looking at him - he bit his lip to suppress a small groan. It was hard for him to resist her when she looked at him through her lashes the way she was.

"Katara-" she silenced him with her lips and he nearly yielded. She moved to kiss his jaw and he swallowed roughly. "Please, not here, Katara."

She wrinkled her nose and pulled away. "Everyone in this house sleeps like the dead."

"Either way," he laughed, "I'd prefer not to get caught like this the first time I come here as your boyfriend."

Katara felt butterflies in her stomach at the word. "Then take me to the bedroom!"

Aang easily rose to his feet from his cross-legged position and kept her locked against himself. She giggled and he shushed her, smiling. Comfortably held up by him, she took his face in her hands and kissed him again while he walked them towards the bedroom. He fumbled for the door and closed it behind them before pulling her tight to his chest. Katara had been pretty adamant about not being disrespectful at the Air Temple but had no such qualms about what she wanted to do in her own igloo. Needless to say, it had been a long two weeks. Aang had similar feelings about being disrespectful in her father's house, but Katara was too intoxicating for those thoughts to surface effectively.

She unclasped his traveling cloak and let it drop to the floor in a satisfying, noiseless thump. He pressed her up against the wall of the igloo and she shivered from the cold, packed snow. Her hands made it inside his robes and he hummed at the gentle touch of her fingers against his skin. Sucking on her collarbone, he began to pull open the top of her dress that crossed over itself. With his free hand, he pulled down one side of the dress from the shoulder and lifted her higher so he could run in tongue along her soft skin.

"Aang…" she sighed. "Let's lay down, please."

He smiled and quickly kissed her before letting her down onto her feet again. Katara slipped her hand into his and pulled him towards the bed, a paradise of fur and warmth. Aang looked at her, the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and then looked at the furs behind her. Suddenly, he felt sick. The furs morphed into living beings before him, with feelings and pain and family. All the desire for Katara flowed away and his eyes were stuck on the furs. She pulled him towards them but he didn't budge. He was momentarily paralyzed.

"Aang?" She tried pulling him again.

"I…" he was at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, I can't do this on the furs."

Katara saw nausea in his eyes and instantly drifted close to him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, his eyes still stuck on the furs. They were different colors and patterns, shapes of color that would have helped others recognize them when they were alive. "I just… it feels really wrong to feel pleasure when…"

"Oh," Katara said, understanding his hesitation. This had never been an issue before because Ba Sing Se was warm enough that she never used furs in her bed. She kicked herself for not thinking of it earlier. "It's okay, we can just sleep."

"No… I, uh, am remembering why I used to sleep with Appa when I was here. I know it's silly, but my exposure to animal products is… low."

Katara's heart ached for him. "Aang, we can get regular blankets, no fur needed."

He shook his head. "No, you should be warm. It's freezing here. I'll go sleep with Appa."

"Let me come with you," she entreated, not liking the idea of sleeping without him for the first time in weeks. "I love sleeping with Appa!"

He made a face, laughing just a little. "Baby, I want you to be warm."

"I want you to be warm too. And I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Please, stay here, be warm, for me." He looked at her seriously, and she knew she couldn't deny him.

Katara suddenly looked bashful. "But… I want to sleep with you."

He kissed her again, lifting her up as he did. He pulled away, their lips still brushing together. "Katara, please, sleep here. I'm used to sleeping with Appa, and I promise to cuddle as much as you want during the day, okay?"

"Okay," she relented. "But if you get cold will you promise to come back?"

He kissed the spot between her eyebrows. "I promise. I love you, Katara. So, so much."

Katara wrapped her arms around him then and squeezed as hard as she could. She didn't know what it was like to have her heart skip a beat, but she imagined it was something like this. "I love _you_ , Aang."

He hugged her back with as much fervor.

"I really don't know how I didn't realize it before," she whispered. "Sometimes I feel like I wasted so much time for us."

He pulled away from her suddenly to look her in the eye. "No. You can't think like that."

"But-"

He interrupted her. "But nothing. I love you. Somehow you love me. We are here, right now. That is all that matters."

She shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "'Somehow…' Please, Aang, how could I not?"

Both took a deep breath in, a little overcome by their emotions. This trip was intensifying their feelings for one another quite a bit, but they were unable to show it physically, at least the way they really wanted. Katara started to understand Aang on a deeper level, and he loved her for trying. He was ready to get to know her culture too.

"I'm sorry it took so long," she said quietly.

He grasped her shoulders with a renewed energy. "I'm not. This is exactly how it was supposed to be, okay? All the waiting was worth it to have you right now. You're mine, I'm yours, and I love you _so_ much. That's all that matters." He laughed at himself, hopelessly in love with this woman. "Nothing you could do would change that even a little bit, it's ridiculous, Katara."

Her arms around his neck, she pulled him in hard and they melded together. Her tongue found his easily, and she found herself becoming dizzy. It really was completely absurd to have denied this for so long when it brought so much natural pleasure. It was the way he just celebrated her in every touch that absolutely blew her away. The reverence somehow was so unbelievably sexy and made her love him even more. She breathed in his smell and tried to memorize it for the night. "I love you, Aang."

"It's just a few hours, as miserable as it feels," he said. He looked up towards the ceiling and sighed. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I'm so happy you're here. I love you."

"I'm happy to be here. I'll see you tomorrow, promise." He extricated himself from her arms, reluctantly. He looked her up and down and laughed. "This has no business being as hard as it is."

"I know, right? Goodnight, sweetie." She leaned in to kiss him again and he smiled.

"Sleep well, beautiful."

* * *

Aang was up bright and early the next morning, though, it wasn't at all bright. Being near the South Pole during winter meant the days were incredibly short. Luckily, the moon was out and illuminated everything enough for him to see. He gave Appa a good rub before taking a seat next to him for his morning meditation and chanting.

"Arahaṁ sammā-sambuddho bhagavā.

Buddhaṁ bhagavantaṁ abhivādemi.

Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo.

Dhammaṁ namassāmi.

Supaṭipanno bhagavato sāvaka-saṅgho.

Saṅghaṁ namāmi."

As he opened his eyes, the village had started to hum with life. The fires were roaring to prepare breakfast. A few children were staring at him, presumably curious about the strange, bald, tattooed man speaking in a language they couldn't understand. He waved and let them play with Momo for a few minutes before their mother called for them and they ran away. Once he saw the smoke steadily becoming thicker from Hakoda's igloo, he figured it would be about the right time to pop in.

Out of habit, he grabbed his staff and walked towards the igloo. The igloo had only a tarp covering the entrance, so he decided to open it with his staff first and announce his presence. Much to his relief, only Katara and Kanna appeared to be up, both of them kneeling by the fire. Katara was mixing the liquid in a pot in front of her. She looked up and smiled.

"There you are! I was wondering if I'd have to go find you."

Aang found himself incredibly giddy at seeing Katara again after his first night sleeping alone in nearly a month. Though Appa was great company, Katara was great in different, more satisfying ways. He forced himself to wipe the goofy grin off his face to address Kanna. "It's great to see you again, Gran Gran," he said with his normal Air Nomad bow.

Kanna wasn't the most sentimental person, but she knew the first time she'd seen them in a room together that they would always be closer than any two people had any business being. She nodded at Aang and continued her work, which was about as good as he could hope to get from her.

"Anything I can help with?"

Katara looked around. "Sure! Can you flip the bannocks?" She stood up and kissed him on the cheek before walking towards the dishes stacked behind him. As the smell of food wafted through the house, each of the other three men slowly made their way out to the central space. Aang began checking the bottom of the bannocks and flipping the ones that seemed properly browned.

Katara practically tackled Hakoda when he came out of his room. He raised an eyebrow at Aang's involvement in the cooking, but chuckled at her enthusiasm and hugged her back tightly. Sokka didn't even look twice at Aang, instead nodding at him casually.

"She doesn't ever greet me like that," Sokka grumbled, grabbing a bowl from the stack Katara had laid out.

Aang left the bannocks to greet Hakoda and suddenly found himself incredibly nervous. He knew that things were a little different in the Water Tribes. Fathers were extremely protective of their daughters, and Hakoda was the Head Chieftain. There were different things expected of men here than of male Air Nomads. They got along great the last time he had been here, but he wasn't dating his daughter then. Nor was he about to live with his daughter, nor had he cut her visit short by taking her to the Air Temple.

His classic flush began creeping up his neck and he begged the spirits to help him look at least a little bit self-assured. Katara pulled away from her father for him to say hello to Aang, looking between them to pick up on any sign of her father's thoughts. Aang bowed. "It's nice to see you, Head Chieftain Hakoda, sir."

He reached his arm out for the customary Water Tribe greeting. While it felt like hours to Aang, Hakoda smiled after a moment and gripped his arm back. "Please, Avatar Aang, call me Hakoda. We know each other well enough."

Katara smiled brightly at Aang. She walked back towards the food preparation area to slice some of the moonpeaches they brought up. Momo begged her for a piece, and she relented.

"Please, just Aang." Aang felt a wave of release wash over him, having gotten through the initial meeting alright. Pakku came out of his room and merely grunted at his two former students, not much for words in the morning.

Katara grabbed finished bannocks for her and Aang and pulled him to the floor to eat. Though he was always paying attention to where she was, he was now hyper-aware of her thigh pressed against his, even looking around the room for a hint that anyone found it inappropriate. He caught Katara's eye and raised the bannock slightly, trying to indicate his thanks that she prepared something he could eat. From Sokka's grumbling and his own prior experience, there was often meat involved in Water Tribe breakfasts. She easily got his message and winked at him.

"So," Hakoda broke the silence and everyone sat on edge waiting for whatever he was going to say, "how did everyone's semester go? Sokka tells us that certain political events had a bit of an impact on finals."

Katara rolled her eyes. "That's only because Sokka procrastinates." He made a face but didn't respond.

"I think we were all able to get through it thanks to Iroh's tea, to be honest," Aang said and Pakku grunted upon hearing the name of his good friend. "Hopefully next semester won't be so busy."

Sokka laughed. "Yeah, for real. No more assassination attempts, please!"

An uncomfortable air shrouded the igloo and Katara shot her brother a glare. "Well, either way, now that Azula is dealt with things should get back to normal. I'm taking a seminar with the best healer in the city. She's incredible!"

"Do we still have that class together, Aang?"

"Yep!" Aang replied to Sokka. "I'm looking forward to it, actually. Effective Political Speeches."

Katara nudged them both. "Maybe you two will finally learn how to speak in public so that I don't fall asleep at events."

Sokka looked genuinely hurt but Aang only laughed. "I'll promise to take notes, sweetie." As the nickname slipped from his mouth he found himself reddening, but to his surprise, Katara only looped an arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. He found himself grinning at her display of affection in front of her family. Hakoda's face was unreadable. Normally that would have made Aang nervous, but he was easily able to overlook that in favor of focusing on his girlfriend's public and ardent support.

"Oh! Aang, I was hoping you could help me out today," Sokka said between pieces of bannock. "I may have told my students that you'd come to class."

"Sokka!" Katara admonished, annoyed that he assumed Aang would be available.

"What? Having the Avatar to teach defense is way easier than getting 4 different benders!"

"I swear-"

"It's okay!" Aang laughed. "I'm happy to help. When is the class?"

Sokka looked at his phone. "5 minutes?"

Katara scoffed on Aang's behalf, but he squeezed her hands in his, smiling.

"Let's hit the road then." Feeling emboldened by her earlier displays of affection, he kissed her on the cheek as he stood up. She tried to savor the feeling of his lips on her face. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Don't count on it being anytime soon!" Sokka said as they stepped out the door and Katara glared.

Kanna shook her head, full of mirth. "Those boys, always so much trouble together."

Hakoda smiled and turned towards his daughter. "Now that the boys are off doing… Tui knows what, we can talk."

"Talk?" Katara wasn't used to her father sitting her down for talks, but she hadn't exactly dated anyone seriously enough to bring them home either.

Kanna took a seat in front of the fire and began stitching a tear in something of Pakku's. "Well, I think we're all curious about when you started dating the young airbender, since you didn't tell any of us beforehand."

"In the future Katara, don't let Sokka be the messenger," Hakoda laughed.

Katara groaned. "Did he say something weird?"

"Nothing too bad, lots of mention of oogies, though." Hakoda paused. "He also told us how serious you two are about each other, and that you are all moving in together."

Her cheeks pinked. "For Toph. Her parents-"

"I know, it's okay." Hakoda started fidgeting with the leather fringe decoration on his tunic. "I wasn't expecting it. It all feels very sudden."

Katara exchanged a nervous glance with Kanna. She saw Pakku was sipping tea behind her, pretending to not be interested in the conversation despite listening to every word. "Sure, it kind of has been sudden, but we've been close for years."

He nodded and looked into the fire. "Don't misunderstand me, I think Aang is a great kid…"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"But… this isn't the life I expected for you. Jetting off on a whim with the Avatar, an Air Nomad no less."

"Is there something wrong with Aang being an Air Nomad?" Katara snapped. She felt herself getting defensive, not just for herself, but for Aang and the culture she had spent the past few weeks getting to know.

"Of course not, that's not what I mean... It's just - I always thought you'd marry a Water Tribe man, Katara. Do Air Nomads even _get_ married? I want you to be properly respected in a relationship, with someone who will take care of you, that's all, not being with someone who might be… _free_ when it comes to romantic attachments…"

Katara had been rendered speechless and looked to Kanna as Hakoda trailed off. Kanna raised her hands in the air. "I've already told him I think it's all seal blubber; that boy is head over heels."

"How could you say any of that about Aang? You _know_ him!" Katara was indignant.

Pakku chucked and attention turned to him. "All I remember is a certain Avatar not taking his waterbending training very seriously."

Kanna scoffed, and it became apparent to Katara that this had been a point of contention for weeks. "He was still a child, dear. Besides, Sokka told us of his feat against the Fire Navy. I'd like to see you manage that, old man."

Hakoda grunted in disagreement. "His waterbending has nothing to do with his suitability for Katara."

"His _suitability_? Don't you think that's for me to decide?"

"Here we go," muttered Pakku, knowing all too well what Katara was like when presented with an obstacle.

She shot him a glare. "Some Air Nomads do get married. Not that it's important, since we aren't getting married any time soon. Maybe it's a different life than you expected for me, but it's one that I want. Whether he and I are together or not, Sokka and I would still be 'jetting off' with him. And when has Aang been anything but respectful to you or any of us? He has always been respectful to me, and Sokka, and you, to all of us." Katara almost felt discouraged at this point. "Why does it seem like you are so against me and Aang being together?"

Hakoda finally softened. "It's not that I'm against it. Katara, you have to understand, as your father, I just want what's best for you. Even if it means I question you when you wish I wouldn't. If Aang is who you want to be with, and you can look me in the eye and tell me he's respecting you and making you happy, I will be behind you in every way."

Katara's resentment deflated and she saw that her father really was only wanting what was best for her. It wasn't about Aang, it was about a culture he knew as foreign. She put a hand over his. "Dad, Aang is all those things and more. I've been really, really happy with him."

He smiled, most, but not all, of the worry leaving his face. "That's all I need to know."

* * *

Katara was looking forward to dinner at her father's place that night. She could practically taste the feast Gran Gran was surely preparing for them. Even though Ba Sing Se had Southern Water Tribe restaurants, it really wasn't the same. Aang, too, was looking forward to spending more time with his first surrogate family after learning of his status as the Avatar. After his fast friendship with Katara under Pakku's tutelage and subsequent relationship with Sokka, Hakoda welcomed Aang to the family with open arms.

To say the night had fallen short of their expectations was an understatement. When they, along with Sokka, walked into Hakoda's igloo a little early, neither could believe what they were seeing. Hakoda, _kissing_ someone. His arms were wrapped around a woman and they were both giggling, unaware of their arrival. Pakku coughed uneasily.

"Dad?" Katara managed to squeak past her shock.

Hakoda sighed uncomfortably, turning, his face a little red. The woman looked like she wanted to die on the spot. He didn't seem to know what to say. "This isn't how I meant to introduce you, Katara. We thought we could all have a nice dinner and then tell you about us."

The woman had short, cropped hair and wore the purple clothing of the Northern Water Tribe. "I'm Malina. I've really been looking forward to meeting you."

Katara did not seem to fully process what was happening in front of her and just stared at her. Aang decided to step in and break the tension in the room. "It's nice to meet you, Malina. I'm Aang."

"Oh, please," she replied, a little flustered, "the honor is mine, Avatar."

As Aang stepped forward to grasp her arm, Katara stopped him. "Are we all really just acting like this is normal?!"

Kanna shifted towards her granddaughter. "Let's all sit down and talk about this over dinner."

Katara just whirled on her instead of being placated. "You knew about this? And you're okay with it?"

"Katara," Hakoda said gently, "Malina and I have been seeing each other for a few months now. I thought it would be best if I told you and your brother in person."

Katara couldn't breathe. The necklace around her neck felt cold and heavy and Aang's grip on her hand was doing nothing to calm her down. She looked around the room and realized everyone was watching her, Sokka included. How was Sokka so okay with this? "Why are _you_ so calm?" she snapped.

Sokka paused and shot a look at his father and Malina. "I was surprised at first too but Malina is cool." He pressed his lips together before speaking again more quietly. "Mom has been gone a long time, sis."

Katara blinked and took a few steps back. Her mother _had_ been gone a long time, but that didn't mean that gave Hakoda the right to… to do this. She heard Aang murmur her name and draw a bit closer, but she just shook her head. This was ridiculous. She wasn't the one in the wrong here.

She steeled herself and her head snapped up at her father so quickly he almost winced. "I can't believe you had the audacity to question my relationship with _someone outside the tribe_ when you've been seeing an outsider this whole time!"

Aang felt his mouth go dry. And all it took was one look at Hakoda to know she was telling the truth. He had brought up concerns with her. He didn't approve of their relationship? The rest of her words cut into him like ice.

" _Air Nomads_ are too free and open in their relationships? 'Are you being respected, Katara?' You want to talk about respecting your partner? Why don't you ask mom how _she_ feels about that?"

Her words shocked everyone into silence. The air in the igloo felt heavy. Her hard breathing was painfully loud. Aang stared at the floor and blinked back tears. Hakoda didn't accept him, not for his daughter at least. He glanced around the room, and everyone looked as stricken as he felt.

Malina, surprisingly, was the first to break the silence. "I think I should go,"

"Malina, don't-" Hakoda started but Katara was quick to interrupt, the burst of anger returning with a vengeance.

"Yeah, stay, Malina. We'll go since we don't fit into your great new family." Katara turned back to leave the igloo dragging Aang in tow, now slightly more composed from the bombshell news he heard. He gave them one last, sad look before they were outside.

She dropped his hand and took off in a run. It would have looked clumsy were it not for her waterbending, which allowed her to run through the snow like it was normal earth. He called her name but it was lost to the winds. He knew now was not the time to think about what Hakoda thought of their relationship, Katara, and how she was feeling was his main priority now.

Katara pushed her way through the snow, trying to ignore the way the cold stung her cheeks. She knew she was out of line, but something about this just felt _so_ wrong. It killed her that no one else in the room could feel the injustice in her father kissing another woman in the home they grew up in like she did. She didn't know how far she ran but she went until she reached the open water and let herself collapse in the snow.

No matter how hard she ran or how hard she cried the pain stayed in her chest like a low hum. She decided to scream and see if it made any difference. It echoed across the ice and back to her but didn't make the ache go away. She hugged herself as she tried to breathe.

She knew Aang was standing behind her, his presence was always obvious to her like a magnetic pull. He had, of course, followed her the entire way. A tiny part of her was humiliated that he was seeing her act like this: cruel to her father and out of control with her emotions. The rest of her just wanted him to hold her while she cried.

The moment she sputtered his name, his arms were around her. He sat with her in the snow and wrapped his outer cape around her. She buried her face in his chest and he held her tight against it, rubbing his hand soothingly over her hair. She moaned incoherently into his robes. With each sob that wracked through her body, Aang felt the pit in his stomach grow larger. Is this how she had felt comforting him? It was practically breaking his heart.

She had no idea how long she cried, but it was long enough for her to lose feeling in her legs touching the ground below. He was heating her with his hands and body but it wasn't enough to fully cut through the bitter temperature. She felt herself calming down out of sheer exhaustion, though the low throb in her chest didn't abate.

Aang spoke for the first time in a whisper. "Just listen to my heartbeat, you're okay, I've got you."

Katara pressed her ear hard against his chest and counted the soft, constant noise of his heart until she felt like she could breathe again. "I don't know why I feel this way, Aang," she choked finally. "I was so mean," she hiccuped and he chuckled softly, patting her back.

"It brought up stuff with your mom. There is no right or wrong way to feel about this, okay? However you're feeling is valid."

**(A/N: Content warning - cancer and death. I found this incredibly therapeutic to write,)**

Katara took in a deep, steadying breath. Her mom. Her death was unexpected and sudden. It had been many years since Katara's mom died, but somehow the grief didn't leave her. Sometimes it felt like every move she made reminded her of her mom. The need to mourn outwardly over time disappeared. It became a low wave of grief that informed her every action.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, everyone was devastated. But they had caught it early and her prognosis was good. They had trudged along, adjusting to their mother's new countenance, a sickly greenish color to her skin. There were two things, though, that stuck in Katara's memory from her treatment that haunted her to this day. The first was her hair. Gran Gran had prepared them for their mother's impending hair thinning, but she didn't realize her eyebrows and eyelashes would fall out in patches the way they did. The other was her smell. She stopped _smelling_ like herself. The comforting scent of her mom was replaced by something that smelled sour, artificial, and foreign. She couldn't remember what her mom used to smell like.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to dig her way further into Aang's chest. The next part of the story was the one that entered her nightmares with regularity over the years. It was a story she'd only been able to tell Aang, Suki, and Toph after many, many drinks on the anniversary of her death the year prior. This memory she had tried so, so hard to erase. The day she found her mom's body. Katara had just begun learning healing at school, so she tried desperately to heal her when she realized something was wrong. Aang knew she blamed herself for that day. If only she had gone for help, for a real healer, for anyone, maybe she would have lived. That's what she told herself, even though the local healer had assured her that nothing would have changed the outcome.

**(ok u good)**

"I know I'm being unfair to him," she sighed. "It just hurts and I don't know why! It doesn't go away. I could cry for hours and hours and it wouldn't make me feel any better."

Aang took her face in his hands and wiped away her flowing tears with his thumbs. That tired, grieving look in her normally bright blue eyes made his own well with tears again. "Your grief is natural, Katara. If I could take away all your pain, I would." Her lips trembled and he bit back a whimper. "What do you want to do? If you want to talk about it, let me take you back and get you warm. Do you want to leave? We can take Appa and leave right now if you want. Tell me what you want. Anything you want. Anything." Somehow he felt like he was begging.

She sniffled and considered the options. Aang's thumbs on her cheeks had a calming effect. The warmth of an igloo and soft furs sounded immaculate. But that meant going back, and someone, whether it be Hakoda, Sokka, or Kanna, would insist on talking to her about the failed dinner. Did she really want to leave altogether, though?

"Katara?" They both jumped. Hakoda had managed to sneak up on them. It probably took him more than an hour to follow their trail on foot and without bending. He looked distraught and Aang felt a pang of sympathy for him. He knew that Hakoda only wanted what was best for his children and deserved to be happy himself. But Katara was broken in his arms, that would always be his priority. He slowly pulled the bison whistle out of his pocket and waved it in front of Katara so Hakoda couldn't see it, a question in his eyes. _We can run_ , he was saying, _we can leave._

While she almost said yes, she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. She couldn't leave her father. She couldn't lose both her parents. Maybe the pain surrounding her mother would never leave, but pushing her father away would certainly make it worse. Instead, she pushed herself shakily to her feet, Aang supporting her from her forearms.

"Katara, I am so sorry. I am so sorry that this has hurt you," Hakoda said.

She didn't look at him but steadied herself. "I want you to be happy, dad, I really do. I just… it's just… what about mom?" Her voice broke and Aang looked away, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. He gripped her forearm to keep them both standing.

"I _love_ your mother, Katara. I will _always_ love your mother. But it's been 15 years, and Katara, I love Malina, I do. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did."

At the word love, her eyes made it back to Hakoda's face. She could see the earnestness in his face, the pain in his voice. "You love her?"

He nodded. "And I love you, Katara. I will always love you and Sokka more than anything. Can we start this over? She will never replace your mother, and neither of us would want that."

Aang looked to his girlfriend and could see the gears churning in her head. He was relieved to see that she smiled, even if it was a feeble smile at best. "I…" Katara paused, not knowing what she was going to say. Aang reached for her back in an effort to show his support. He felt her take a deep breath in. "I shouldn't have acted like I did. It wasn't fair to Malina. Starting over would be a good idea, it won't be easy though." She exhaled shakily as Aang brought her into his warmth. Aang saw everything about Hakoda visibly relax - his facial expressions, his posture, his breathing, etc. - as he processed what Katara had said.

Aang stepped away, back towards the water to give them a little privacy to talk. He blew into the whistle for Appa, thinking no one needed a late walk back through the snow. As he looked out onto the water, shimmering from the light of the moon, Aang was thankful that Katara and Hakoda had bridged the gap between them. With the immediate situation at least somewhat resolved, his mind was able to drift to the other part of their argument.

What had Katara said? That Hakoda questioned her relationship with someone outside of the tribe. That Air Nomads were too open in their relationships. What did that even mean? And then she had mentioned respect?

He understood why Hakoda might worry about Katara's relationship being outside of the tribe. Mixed nation relationships were uncommon. He probably hadn't expected Katara to date an Air Nomad. But Hakoda knew Aang. He'd lived with him in the Southern Water Tribe for months. He wasn't some random guy Katara brought home. Aang felt a little stupid to have thought of himself as part of the family. Apparently, he was still just an outsider.

It was also clear to him that Hakoda's misunderstanding of Air Nomad relationships was probably due to stories and rumors. Yes, they weren't as rigid as most other places with marriage and virginity and monogamy, but the main tenet of their attitude towards relationships _was_ respect. To respect any and all romantic and sexual partners with truth, compassion, and loving-kindness. It wasn't about sleeping around with whoever you wanted - though, that was more acceptable than in other cultures. The irony in Hakoda's assumption was that Aang _worshipped_ Katara.

Katara watched her boyfriend as she and Hakoda slowly began talking. His cape concealed his body so that he looked like a pillar. He managed to be so still when he wanted to be. Her rock, in many ways. Despite earth being antithetical to his nature, he was often solidly, unyieldingly present for her when she needed it. He put his own feelings aside in favor of her own. She knew what would be on his mind now.

She never intended to tell Aang about the conversation she had with her father. She knew he would take it to heart and worry. Who wouldn't? Aang was sensitive, his heart was big, open, and loving. It came with a price.

Aang only turned back around when Appa landed next to him. He silently helped Katara into the saddle. She knew she needed to make him see that the conversation was less about him and his people and more about Hakoda caring for his daughter, but she couldn't make him talk about it in front of her dad. Aang didn't meet Hakoda's eye when he moved to help him up too.

Hakoda dropped his hand. "Aang, what you heard earlier…"

Aang looked back out at the cool, serene water. He tried to replicate that in his heart, just for a little bit, so he could make it back and keep being there for Katara. "A private conversation between father and daughter," Aang affirmed, effectively shutting down any further discussion. He motioned again to help Hakoda up on the saddle.

Katara poked her head over the saddle. "Dad? Aang?"

Hakoda looked at the young man before him, noticing that he'd grown taller than him since the last time he saw him. He now stood a few inches above Hakoda. It was obvious to him that Aang was putting up a front. His eyes told the whole story.

"Help me up, Katara. I'm not a young man anymore, after all."

Once Hakoda was settled, Aang airbent himself up to Appa's head and grabbed the reins. He could hear Katara and Hakoda murmuring behind him and tried to push it out of his mind. He and Katara were solid. He didn't need to worry. He didn't need to worry! Within a few minutes, Appa circled over the collection of igloos and buildings that made up their village.

Aang wordlessly helped Hakoda and Katara out of the saddle. He rested his head on Appa's forehead, steeling himself to go inside with them. Aang found that he couldn't do it; his legs just wouldn't move. In fact, they were desperately trying to pull Aang in the other direction. As Katara walked towards her father's igloo, she realized Aang wasn't with them. He stood with Appa, petting him and having a little conversation. "Aang? Aren't you coming?"

He cringed slightly and rocked on his heels, obviously hesitating in his response. "I think I should stay with Appa."

"What? Why?"

Aang sighed and kicked some snow around. "You have a lot to talk about and I want you two to be able to do that freely. Besides… Appa needs the exercise anyway..." He was reaching, but the idea of being around Katara's family right now was more painful than he had expected. He wasn't sure he belonged there at all.

Katara took a few steps towards him and grabbed his hands. "What are you talking about? Anything we have to talk about you can be there for. Come inside, Appa just got some exercise."

"No, Katara," he said a little harshly before pausing to bring his tone back down. "Just… go spend time with your dad, I'll be fine."

Katara knew that this was about what she had said before. He was worried and hurt that Hakoda had questioned their relationship. She wanted to reassure him that it didn't matter, that her dad approved, and that she would still love him if he didn't, but he wouldn't even meet her eye. "Please?"

He didn't respond and Katara understood implicitly that he needed some time. "Okay… we're going to talk later, though. Don't stay out too long, for me?" He nodded lightly and she kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

His eyes shuttered close at her touch. _Maybe the last one you'll ever get_. _Stop it!_ Aang scolded his inner voice. He and Katara were solid. If Hakoda's words had resonated with Katara, she would have dumped him already. _She does need that ride back to Ba Sing Se on Appa though…_

Aang groaned and Appa responded in kind. He smiled at the sky bison. Aang knew he was acting immature. He knew that Hakoda was likely only looking out for his daughter like any father would. And yet… it hurt! It hurt to know that someone who knew him would question whether or not he would make a good partner. And maybe he wasn't one, but he hoped Hakoda would have known how hard he would try. Was trying! He would try anything for Katara.

Appa nudged him and Aang pet him softly. "Do you want to go for a fly, buddy? Maybe we can catch the aurora australis."

After a few minutes of flying deeper into the wasteland of the tundra, the lights materialized in front of them. Blues and greens danced around the sky as they flew among them. As he looked at the intense, overwhelming beauty of them, Aang found himself beginning to cry. He wanted off the rollercoaster that was the previous few months. Though he knew deep down he'd do it all over again if it meant he could be with Katara, the absolute highs had come with lows that he didn't know how to deal with alone. Alone. The thought of being without her made him feel nauseous all over again. He'd felt so alone when they told him he was the Avatar. Everyone was supportive, but no one understood what it was to lose the life you always assumed you'd have. He'd felt alone when those duties came rushing at him in the Western Earth Kingdom. He'd felt entirely alone when Kuei had refused to help. Katara was one of the first people to make those feelings go away, if even only a little.

Reality hit him like a brick. _What am I doing?!_ It suddenly was so obvious to him that he was letting Katara down. She'd been there for him every time he needed it, no matter her own feelings or workload. Here, he was flying around on Appa while she was facing something incredibly difficult because he was afraid she would leave him. What a surefire way to confirm any doubts she or her father had about him.

Aang turned Appa around to head back to their house as fast as possible. There was nothing he could do about leaving in the first place, but from this moment on, he was determined to fight for her. He was going to fight for her by showing up, being there when she needed him, and even when she didn't. And by spirits, he was going to try to win over Hakoda too - whatever it took.


	20. Winter Break: Gutted

When Katara entered the igloo again she felt a little embarrassed, but she knew that no one was angry with her. Kanna and Pakku sat by the fire, cooking up one of Katara's favorite desserts. To her surprise, Malina hadn't left and was playing a game of pai sho with Sokka.

"Hey, sis. What'd ya do with Aang?"

"Oh…" she deflected, "Appa needed some exercise."

Sokka raised an eyebrow, knowing Appa needed nothing of the sort, but didn't say anything. Katara walked straight to Malina and took a deep breath. "Malina, I owe you an apology. This was really unexpected for me, and losing our mom was really hard. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Malina smiled warmly. "There is nothing to forgive, Katara."

Though her presence still made Katara nauseous, she could see that Malina was… not terrible. If Katara didn't feel the weight of her mom's absence, she might have admitted that Malina was just the kind of woman that she'd want for her dad. She learned that Malina had been brought to the South on a construction project a year prior and decided to stay, finding the Southern attitudes more relaxed and friendly than her native North.

The evening was still tense, and Katara was far from feeling okay about her father dating, but the existential dread in the room had dissipated. And maybe she could, with time, accept Malina fully too.

The more time that passed, the more she found her thoughts turning to Aang. She didn't like the idea of him being alone, especially in the bitter cold, full of anxiety and hurt feelings. And quite frankly, she didn't like being without him either.

Kanna was just pouring tea for everyone in the room when Aang airbent the leather flap to the igloo with a force that sent a huge rush of cold air through the living space.

Katara shot up, and then let out an awkward, short laugh at her undeniable excitement. "Aang!"

The small look of relief on his face told her all she needed to know about his time away: he had been worried and overthinking things. She ran towards him as fast as possible without looking ridiculous and threw her arms around his neck. She could feel him go from tense to more relaxed right away.

"I'm sorry it took so long, Appa and I got a little distracted by the lights. Hey, Momo." The lemur scaled his body with practiced ease and settled on Aang's shoulder.

"Aang! Good, you're here," said Sokka, barely looking up from the pai sho board in front of him. "Help me with this turn."

Aang slipped his hand in Katara's and she gave him her best reassuring smile. As he walked towards the pai sho board, he brought their interlocked hands up and kissed the top of her hand without thinking. Silently, he sent thanks up to the spirits that Katara didn't seem to be angry or upset. He'd check in to make sure when he could.

It looked like Sokka was poised to lose the game he was playing against Hakoda. Sokka was a fairly new player and favored moving fast and going with his gut, a strategy that didn't appear to be working for him. Aang looked up and found Hakoda studying him.

His new resolution to win over Hakoda was still fresh in his mind and he considered what Hakoda would like more: winning, or getting beaten by Aang. Aang gulped quietly. Pai sho wasn't as popular in the South as it was in other places in the world, so Hakoda was far from being the most formidable player in the room. But now Aang felt a bit of added pressure to impress him, something he'd never really felt the need to do with anyone besides maybe Katara.

He knew that Hakoda wasn't the type of guy who played just to win, so he decided it would be a good idea to actually try to beat him. But maybe not… too fast. Okay, he'd make a few blunders, just in case.

After a moment of thought with his free hand stroking his chin, Aang played a wheel accent tile that moved two of Hakoda's pieces, effectively quashing his chance of a win in the next few rounds. Sokka continued to look to him for moves until Hakoda told Sokka just to let Aang take over the game. Sokka got up begrudgingly and Aang took his place.

Katara, who had stood to grab cups of tea, handed him one and he smiled. "This is great tea, Kanna," Aang praised politely after taking a sip.

Hakoda made a harmony and planted his orchid accent tile. Aang raised an eyebrow. These were fighting moves. The game went from one of planting and blocking to one of capture and aggression. Malina sat down next to Hakoda, very obviously avoiding touching him for Katara's sake. Sokka, oblivious to the tension rising between the two men, was reading funny tweets out loud. Malina was the only one who spared him a laugh, everyone else hyper-focused on the game or too old and grouchy to care. Nonetheless, he cracked himself up explaining "Bean Dad" tweets.

Hakoda made a final move begrudgingly and Aang let a slow smile come over his face. He moved a tile to finish off his harmony ring to win the game. Momo purred in congratulations from his perch atop Aang's left shoulder. Katara, who had settled just behind him with her chin resting on his right shoulder, squeezed his arm in congratulations. "Great game, Head Chieftain Hakoda."

He cracked a smile and shook his head. "I'm impressed you managed to dig yourself out of Sokka's hole." Impressed! Aang allowed himself a brief, internal happy dance.

Sokka looked up from his phone, annoyed, "Hey! Iroh says I'm improving!"

"It's easy to improve when you start at 'terrible,'" Katara snorted, causing Pakku to smirk.

"Iroh always did like rooting for the underdog," he said.

"I was lucky to have a great teacher. Besides Iroh," Aang smiled, "Monk Gyatso is the best pai sho player I've ever met."

"You can say that again," Katara grumbled with a smile, reminded of the kind old man.

Hakoda began reorganizing the tiles. "Another round? This time I'll be on my game, Aang." Aang grinned and took another gulp of tea. Moving from Avatar Aang to Aang was always a good sign.

Katara appreciated her father's efforts. In Appa's saddle, they had both agreed to do their best to make their significant others feel welcome. She also appreciated Aang's efforts, because every time Malina spoke he made sure to touch her in some small way, whether it be a hand on her knee, stokes on her palm, or his arm pressed against hers. It helped her push down the bile and keep on a pleasant facade.

When it became late and most everyone began preparing for bed, he joined her in cleaning up the plates and cups around the main area. Malina made her exit with nice goodbyes all around. Katara began washing dishes with waterbending and Aang would dry them with small bursts of air. As she started, he leaned in so only she could hear him and whispered, "I'm sorry for earlier. I love you."

She handed him a clean cup with a sad smile. "It's okay. We'll talk about it when everyone goes to bed." She quickly kissed him on the cheek. "And I love you too."

"Goodnight, Katara," Hakoda called from his bedroom door. He nodded to Aang.

"Goodnight, Dad," she replied, not looking up. Eventually, Sokka went to Facetime Suki, and they were alone.

Aang immediately enveloped her in a hug, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "How are you feeling? I'm really proud of you, you know that?"

She buried her face in his chest and breathed out. "Proud?"

"Mhm." He kissed her hair. "You were really strong and kind. I'm sorry I wasn't there to support you like I should have been," he sighed.

"Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm exhausted." She let her weight fall on him more and he chuckled.

He picked her up in one swoop. "Let's get you to bed, love."

After ducking through the doorway, Aang laid Katara down on the fluffy furs and wrapped himself around her, momentarily choosing to ignore his distaste for the animal skin in favor of comforting her. She wriggled forward to face him and settled her face in his neck. "Notice anything different?"

Aang peered around over her head but wasn't sure what she meant. "What is it?"

"The furs, I switched them."

Aang glanced uneasily around at the white colored furs but didn't know why Katara thought he'd be interested in them. "That's… nice. They look great."

She laughed and pulled herself up to look at him. "I didn't switch them for the aesthetics, sweetie. They're bison! Fairtrade, from Southern Air Temple's shedding season, apparently."

Aang let himself look closely at the furs and ran a hand over their soft texture. It was clearly bison. It almost felt like laying on Appa, just less warm, and maybe a little cleaner.

"I asked Gran-Gran when you were out and she gathered the few we had." Aang opened his mouth and she cut him off. "She thinks it's for your bed in Sokka's room, and my dad doesn't know, don't worry."

He relaxed again and just looked at her in awe. "Sweetie… that was so thoughtful, I don't even know what to say."

"Well, I'm amazing, I know," she said, unable to keep a straight face. "I figured we could use some cuddles after the day we've had."

"It was… definitely a day." He ran his knuckles along her cheek and shifted so they were face to face. "How are you handling everything?"

Her face darkened and she looked away. "I feel crappy. But a little better."

"Better is good… She seems like a good person," he ventured.

She sighed. "I know, she is. It's really hard to see someone in mom's place."

He nodded. "I can't imagine how that feels. Like I said, I'm really proud of you. And I'm here."

"It's weird, but the thing I feel most right now is embarrassed. The rest just feels hollow."

"You have nothing to feel embarrassed about, sweetie, not with me," Aang frowned. " _Never_ with me," he added, after a beat.

"Still, I acted like a lunatic."

"You acted like someone who is grieving and was taken by surprise."

She shook her head. "That doesn't excuse-"

"Stop!" She looked so surprised at his interruption that he chuckled. "You were shocked and reacted, yes. And then, you picked yourself up and went back to your family. You were open, compassionate, and brave tonight. You did all that yourself. So enough of the hating on Katara train. No more self-flagellation. No one blames you for tonight, and I know everyone is just as proud of you as I am."

Katara wriggled down and fit her head into the crook of his neck, trying to blink back tears. She was feeling as small as she had felt in a long while despite Aang's words of praise. "Okay," she said softly. She knew he was right, but a twinge of shame remained.

"Okay," he sighed and rubbed her back with both arms. "Now tell me about everything else you're feeling. Or more about that if you want. I'm here to listen, I just don't want you to be upset with yourself."

For a while, she didn't speak and Aang thought she may have fallen asleep. But then her breathing became shaky and he knew she was still in pain. He squeezed her tight, hoping, if nothing else, to help her feel grounded. "I miss my mom."

A knock came at the door that led to the bathroom Katara shared with Sokka before he could respond. "Guys? I'm taking a long time to come in… feel free to warn me… please be clothed... any day now..."

Katara sat up in a huff. "Just come in already!" Aang bit back a smirk. It was always reassuring to see her get angry at Sokka. It meant she couldn't be too far detached from her usual self.

Sokka came into the room wincing, both nervous to walk in on something and scared of Katara. "Hey, sis… I wanted to talk to you."

Aang scooched back to sit up more fully. He was still very well aware of his new position, as much as he tried to push it out of his mind. "I can go outside."

Sokka looked at him funny before realization hit him. "Dude, stay. You're family."

Aang hoped he didn't notice the look on his face, one filled with emotion at Sokka's casual acceptance of him. Sokka joined them in the bed of furs, unperturbed by his closeness to both of them. Katara, wholly fatigued, leaned heavily on Aang and he slung an arm around her waist.

"So, tonight sucked."

"Hear, hear," Katara agreed miserably. They passed a moment in silence before Katara spoke again. "Sokka? I miss Mom."

Sokka sighed. "I know. I do too."

"What do you think she'd think of Malina?" she asked glumly.

"I don't know, really." Sokka leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs. "You know, I felt shitty when Dad introduced me to her at first, too. But the more time I spent around them, the more I saw that she seems to make him happy. I realized he'd just been kind of trudging along. I don't think Mom would've liked that."

Katara sighed. Everything Sokka said was making sense on a literal level, but something continued to bother her. "I don't want him to be unhappy or alone. I don't know, it almost felt like it was... tainting his relationship with Mom. Like somehow it's ruining the purity of it."

"Katara, we were so young when mom died. Their relationship wasn't perfect, at least not in the way I think you imagine it was," Sokka paused to laugh for a second. "I know you and Aang have this whole 'one true love,' 'soulmate' thing going, but I don't think that exists for everyone. Maybe some of us are meant to have multiple loves."

Aang hummed in some agreement. "That's a bit how the Air Nomads live. Appreciating love while it's there, being thankful for it if it leaves. Having a few serious partners over a lifetime isn't unusual."

"Oh really?" Katara said dryly, a hint of teasing in her voice.

He hugged her and laughed. "I'd say this Air Nomad is more the 'one true love' kind, promise."

"Think about it though!" Sokka raised his voice over the oogies. "You guys know how much I loved Yue and I'd be lying if I said I didn't still love her. When I realized we had to break up, I thought I wouldn't find anyone else. And then boom! Suki. I love her too! I guess it's… Dad didn't stop loving Mom-"

"He found room in his heart to love more," Aang summarized.

Sokka leveled a glare at Aang. "I was getting there, but yes, it's not replacing, it's adding."

Both boys turned to Katara, who was finally smiling for the first time that night. A real smile, anyway. She blinked the tears out of her eyes and pulled them both into an embrace. Sokka and Aang smiled at each other over her head, and when Aang reached his free arm to wrap around Sokka, he didn't protest.

* * *

When Aang woke up, he was pleased to discover a weight on top of him. Katara had crawled over him at some point in the night. She was still in a deep sleep, so he didn't move a muscle. Even when the smell of breakfast came through the door, she didn't stir. Only mouthing the words, he did some of his morning chanting and a little meditation. Aang laughed to himself as he tried to empty his mind, but he found it entirely impossible with her pressed to him the way she was. Finally, when he heard dishes clinking, he decided he'd try to wake her. He pushed the hair out of her face and caressed her cheek until she blearily opened her eyes. He hated to see that they were still bloodshot and puffy from the night before.

"Hi."

"Hi. It sounds like breakfast is ready. Do you want to go eat or do you want to go back to sleep?"

"Mmmmf," was all she managed.

He smirked. "So that wasn't really a yes or no question."

He could practically feel her eyes roll on his chest. "Sleep," she mumbled, muffled as she buried her face in the muscles of his chest.

"Alright, sleep away, I'll get you some food." He carefully rolled her on her side and she whined until he kissed her on the forehead. Momo was sleeping at the foot of the bed, so Aang picked him up and placed him next to Katara in case she wanted to cuddle.

He moved into the bathroom and took a quick look in the mirror, fluffing out the wrinkles in his robe with airbending. He touched his head and felt the prickly beginnings of hair and grimaced. Shaving would have to wait, he had promised Sokka he would join his class again. He knocked on the door to Sokka's room before walking through, careful to keep up the ruse that he was staying there rather than in Katara's room. When he emerged, everyone was there except Hakoda.

"Morning everyone." He bowed to Kanna and Pakku. Kanna stood to hand him a bannock and a bowl of oatmeal, which he thanked her graciously for. Eventually, Hakoda emerged himself, and Aang was reminded of his disapproval. His abdomen lurched and he found it difficult to stomach his bannock. He forced it down anyway, not one to be rude to his hosts. Hakoda and Sokka made small talk about the training later that day.

After finishing his meal, Aang wrapped up another bannock and rapped lightly on Katara's closed door. Hakoda watched as he went in and gently touched her back before placing the wrapped bannock next to her. He grabbed Momo and shushed him before he could be mad about being woken up and started for the door. As if suddenly realizing something, he halted and spun back around, just to pull another fur blanket over her sleeping form. Hakoda forced himself to look away before Aang caught him staring as he closed the door. Sokka looked at him smugly, and Hakoda would have been annoyed if he hadn't also felt some relief.

Sokka had, to his credit, really vouched for Aang weeks earlier, when he had first shared the news of their relationship. He understood why his father was hesitant, but insisted that Aang was a great match for Katara, possibly _the match_ , even if that meant he had to put up with all their oogies. He told Hakoda that Aang was good with her and would always take care of her before anything else, maybe even his Avatar duties. Hakoda wasn't so sure, remembering the mischievous teenager he'd first met a few years prior. Now Sokka was gloating, because Aang was exactly as described, and secretly, the only guy he'd want dating his sister.

Hakoda, seeing Aang run after Katara to comfort and support her, and now making sure she was fed and comfortable, felt a lot better about the relationship than he had before they arrived. Even though he always knew Aang was a good person, he didn't know how much he had matured. It was clear to him now that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this was a relationship he could approve of. He just regretted that Aang had heard his doubts via Katara.

Aang slowly closed the door so as to not wake her and turned to Sokka. "Ready?"

Sokka nodded, still munching on a bannock as Aang slung his red outer cape into place. Momo stole a piece of fruit from Sokka, who only made a face at the lemur. "Yeah, buddy, let's hit the road."

Katara awoke to a fresh bannock a couple of hours later. She felt like she had slept for months. Her eyes felt heavy and her throat was a bit hoarse. She sat up and took out her phone as she chewed on the bread. First, she saw she had a new text from Aang.

_Aang: Helping with Sokka's class! Text me when you wake up. I'll come back if you need me :kissy emoji: :heart emoji:_

_Katara: Awake :) I'll come find you_

She ripped off another piece and opened the girls' group chat. Through everything, they had kept up with Mai in this group chat while she was in the Fire Nation. On Ji had also been in this group chat before, since she was on the trip with them, but a new one had quickly been created without her.

_Katara: you guys_

_Katara: I cannot express to you the night I had_

_Suki: what happened?_

_Katara: apparently my dad has a new girlfriend_

_Toph: Not surprised, your dad is kind of a dilf_

_Katara: ew stfu Toph_

_Mai: Need me to kill the gf?_

_Mai: knives are quick :knife emoji:_

_Suki: MAI_

_Mai: Hm?_

_Suki: for real though, are you okay? Ngl Sokka told me a few weeks ago_

_Katara: I kind of hate it but I'm trying to be nice_

_Toph: I'll beat her up if you want_

_Katara: no violence people! It just feels weird_

_Suki: that totally makes sense. Maybe it just needs some getting used to_

_Suki: either way we're here to talk if you need it! :heart emoji:_

Katara dropped her phone. She really didn't want to talk about it anymore. Despite her long rest, she was emotionally drained. The conversations with Aang and Sokka _had_ helped, but she knew it was a feeling that probably wouldn't ever go away. She wanted to support her dad's happiness, even if that meant thinking a little differently about her parents' love.

She changed out of her rumpled clothing from the day before and into a fresh set. She smoothed her hair and put it in a long braid. No matter how much concealer she tapped over her skin, her eyes still had puffy, dark circles underneath. Sighing, Katara resigned herself to looking like the dead all day. Much to her relief, no one was in the igloo. Hakoda would be at the town hall, Kanna at the market, and Pakku teaching waterbending classes.

She left the igloo and got waves all around from family friends and children she had watched grow up. They asked about the "big city" and whether or not the rumors of her dating the Avatar were true or not. She found herself exhausted just trying to get to the training grounds where Sokka held his nonbender winter camps. When she finally did though, she was happy to see Aang watching the class from off to the side while Sokka demonstrated techniques.

She sat down next to him and he smiled. "I got kicked out of class for being 'distracting,'" he admitted.

"Does that mean you're free to leave?"

He shrugged. "I guess so. Did you have something in mind?"

"I was thinking we could take a walk?"

"Anything."

He airbent himself standing and held a hand out to Katara. They walked down to the harbor quietly, waving to acquaintances and strangers alike as they went. Aang noticed a set of women weaving a net together, presumably for fishing, by the docks. They laughed and sang together while they worked. Ships were coming and going in that slow way they did in fishing towns. An old man scurried past them, struggling with a net full of fish. Aang stopped to bring it to the market for him with his airbending.

When he returned, Katara was watching him. He cocked his head to the side. "What?"

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Just watching you be you. I want to talk to you about something."

The previous night, Aang, Sokka, and Katara had all fallen asleep talking in her room, so she never got a real chance to talk to Aang about what had been said.

Before she even got to start, he looked down in shame. "I was wrong to leave last night. I let my own hurt feelings get in the way when I should have been there for you."

"Aang," Katara started in that sympathetic, melodic voice she had.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry for breaking my promise."

She furrowed her brow as they kept walking through the market. "Your promise?"

"When I told you I loved you," Aang squeezed her hand and sidestepped a basket of fish poking out from a vendor's stall. "I said I'd always be there, and I wasn't."

"Aang, enough of the self-flagellation!" she smirked.

He smiled and looked down at her. "I see what you're doing, but in this case, I actually deserve the flagellation."

Katara threw a hand in the air while she tried to get the words together. "I created that whole situation, really. I should have told you beforehand, or not brought it up at all. It wasn't right of me to use you as ammunition."

"It's not your fault at all, Katara. It doesn't matter what had been said, I should have stayed." He looked away from her and up at the clouds. They floated by so peacefully, so freely.

"You were hurt. You are hurt."

He shook his head and looked back down. "That's irrelevant, we could have dealt with that later."

Suddenly she stopped short and pulled his hand so he was standing in front of her. She let her hands fall on his neck and she stroked just between his ear and jaw. "You reacted like someone who was surprised and hurt. And then you came back."

They came upon a fountain, one they had actually built together as students when they first met. The spiraling water made it look like the little ice fish were dancing. Aang had insisted it look like dancing rather than swimming. She had gone along with it to please him. She pulled him down to the edge of it and took his hand in hers. "I didn't tell you what he said because it didn't matter. He approves, I promise, and if he didn't, I wouldn't care."

"Katara, come on, you'd care if he didn't, and you _should_. He's your father." Aang loved what she was trying to do, but the seed of doubt had been planted. He told himself he just needed to prove himself, to show Hakoda the kind of partner he was going to be. Nonetheless, his insecurities bubbled up and he felt like he might explode if he didn't ask. "He really does?"

She couldn't help but cup his cheek. He looked like a lost puppy. "He brought up concerns, but they had nothing to do with you. The rumors we hear about Air Nomads here… it's all stories about women being left alone with pregnancies and no way to contact the father, or nomads having partners all over the world. We only hear the bad stories because they seem scandalous and people think it's fun to talk about. You and I both know that isn't the full story, and I told him that. He trusts me, and I trust you. Do you trust me?" She smirked at her own repetition.

"Of course," he fought a small smile, he hadn't quite won yet. "Can I ask you something, though?" She nodded and he sighed. "Why didn't you tell your family about us?"

"I'm not really sure," she admitted. "I guess at first with all the political stuff going on I just… didn't. Then it became this weird retroactive thing, where I didn't know how to add it onto the events they already knew. The longer I didn't tell them, the harder it got. It's not that I thought they would react poorly or anything, but I've never done this before. I've never been in a relationship serious enough for it to be worth mentioning. Eventually having Sokka do it just felt easier." Katara met his eyes and was glad there was only compassion in them. "I'm sorry I didn't."

He shook his head. "It's okay. I understand. I think since we met, I had been trying to convince myself that you _didn't_ have feelings for me. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I guess I'm still in the habit of looking for evidence of that. Even though I trust you and that this is real, I still feel insecure sometimes. Not because I think you don't love me, but because sometimes I don't feel like I deserve that love and you haven't figured it out yet. It's hard to turn that part of my brain off."

She rubbed his back calmingly as she started to speak. "If it helps, I always thought you were pretty hot." He snorted and smiled at her. "But, I can see where you would feel that way. I have an idea. What if the next time you feel that way, you ask? We can call it 'insecurity brain' or something, and then we talk about it."

He chuckled. "So you're saying I come up to you and say 'insecurity brain' when I feel anxious about us?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "And I'll listen, no judgment. Because we both _know_ that it isn't true, but it helps to talk out, right? I don't want you sitting in it all alone."

"Okay. And you'll do the same?"

She stuck out a pinky. "Promise." Katara knew that he needed that validation, and she was happy to provide it. She needed him to feel safe for this next part. She took his hand in hers again. "There's something else, though."

He looked back up to read her expression, his elbows on his knees. "Tell me."

"Insecurity brain?" Katara offered meekly as she tried to recollect herself. She thought it would be easier to talk about this, especially after they just laid out that it would be a safe space to talk about their concerns. But this was tough for her to talk about, to bring up how his first instinct of running makes her feel.

He visibly collected himself in a way that made her smile. "Insecurity brain," he affirmed.

She pursed her lips for a moment, still a little unsure about how to proceed. Katara wanted to handle this carefully as she didn't want to come off as accusatory. "Why is your first reaction always to run?"

Aang pulled back and regarded her, a little surprised. She squeezed his hand tighter when he visibly prickled at the subject of Katara's concern. When he didn't seem to have an answer, she pressed on. "At _Love Amongst the Dragons_ , at Ember Island, last night when you said we could leave, even when we got back and I asked you to stay. Why is that your instinct?"

"I… don't know," he said slowly. She was right, he did always run away. It had been easier for him to run from emotional consequences. A confrontation could bring further disappointment than he already felt, so running was the safest option, even when it ended up more often than not making things worse. "But you're right, that is my first instinct."

They shifted around when there was a splash behind them. A little girl smacking the water with chubby hands. Katara created a little iceboat and sailed it toward her. Only a few years old, the girl squealed in delight. Aang found himself mesmerized, but not by the boat. The way she connected with children so easily had always given him butterflies. When the girl snatched the boat out of the water to show her mother, Katara turned back to find him watching her with soft eyes.

She gave him a sad smile. "It's okay if you don't know, but I want you to think about it. I know you come back eventually every time. And you made sure I was okay first when I found out about Malina, too. But I want you to think about how it makes me feel when you do run. I wish you would stay when things get hard, especially between us. It makes me worry about you, about us.

"It makes me worry that you'll run away and never come back. Or, things will get really hard and the next thing I know, you aren't by my side. We're supposed to be a team now, Aang; we fight against what's in our way together." Katara paused for a second, considering if she should continue. His expression was unreadable. "I don't want to harp on you about this, but those things weren't necessarily big obstacles for us, as much as I hope those are the toughest issues we will face. And as I said, it makes me worry and I need you to know that and how it makes me feel."

Aang took a deep breath, it was a lot to take in all at once. He didn't like that his inclination to run at the sign of trouble would cause her any anxiety. At the same time, he knew it was deeply rooted in his nature. Even as a child, he'd wanted to disappear at any sign of trouble. "That makes a lot of sense, Katara. Sometimes, I do need to step back for a little while. But it has nothing to do with my feelings for you. I left you at the igloo to mope. I worked myself into thinking that you might leave me, but the time away helped me realize that I was only making it worse, confirming any doubts you or your dad may have had. I didn't want you to see me when insecurity brain was in charge, you know? I didn't want my insecurities to be your problem."

"I get that you need time to think about or handle things and that it might need to be done on your own. I don't want to take that away from you. But, Aang, I'm here too. And insecurities are natural, you know that."

"I do," he smiled, "But I still want to be at my best for you."

She scooched closer to him on the fountain. "You don't have to be 'the best' 24/7. I'd rather you be next to me whining about something dumb than have you flying off miserable."

"Hey!" he laughed, pushing her hand away facetiously, only to take her hands back in his. "You're right, Katara. I don't know if I can promise I'll never run away again, but I can tell you that I'm going to try to do better. I don't want to make you feel that way. I'm really glad you told me all this." He kissed her knuckles.

She kissed him and cupped the sides of his cheeks. He melted into her touch. Neither exactly wanted to make out in public, but couldn't resist deepening it. Things had been really heavy lately but they could both feel that they were finally getting to the other side of it. Just as Katara ran her tongue lightly across his lower lip, someone cleared their throat.

Katara jumped back and cringed. "Hey, Dad…"

Hakoda stood in front of them. He had seemingly materialized out of thin air, but really the two were just so absorbed in each other they hadn't seen him approach. Aang shot up to bow. He was almost as red as his cloak. "Hi, Head Chieftain, sir."

The chieftain seemed determined to shake off the PDA he'd interrupted and turned to his daughter's boyfriend. "Aang, I was actually hoping to speak with you."

"Oh, really?" He exchanged a nervous glance with Katara.

"Well, I was wondering if you would be willing to take part in one of our traditions. Bato and the other hunters have just retu-"

"Dad!" Katara looked at him like he was being ridiculous. "You're asking him to do the bladder ceremony?"

He looked at her sternly and turned back to Aang. "It's a traditional ceremony that we've done for generations. We do it in conjunction with the new year. Once people in the council heard that the Avatar was here…"

Aang nodded, understanding.

"Aang, you don't have to do the bladder ceremony. There's blood and dead animals..."

"I'm doing it. I'll do it," he told Hakoda, placing a placating hand on Katara's shoulder.

This was a simple equation to him. He wanted Hakoda to like him. He couldn't turn down being part of a ceremony that was so important to him and the Water Tribe culture when Hakoda was questioning his ability to take care of Katara. Katara seemed really doubtful, but he'd seen Sokka eat meat in terrifying quantities, how bad could it be?

* * *

Aang wanted to vomit.

He had prepared himself to see, well, bladders, but didn't know what else to expect. Katara had never seen a bladder ceremony because only men were allowed to take part. Sokka had been busy all day dressing down and preparing the spoils of the hunt, and there was no way he would ask Hakoda for more specifics. What he hadn't anticipated was the smell. It practically hit him in the face when he had walked in.

Large collections of bladders were being brought into the qasgiq, the large ceremonial space dedicated to the ceremony. Women weren't allowed inside, so Sokka and other men were inflating them and affixing them to harpoons on the ceiling while Hakoda briefed Aang on his part in the ceremony.

Aang was starting to regret his enthusiasm in participating. Being around animal products was one thing, but participating in a ceremony around their killing was crossing over a line. Newly reconnected with his faith, he was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. This felt disrespectful to the seals that had once used those bladders.

Hakoda began explaining that the bladders were saved throughout the year for this ceremony, but Aang stopped him and pulled him aside.

"Head Chieftain, I'm happy to be here, but I don't know if it is appropriate for me to be handling the bladders." Aang's eyes darted to the increasing number of bladders above their heads.

Hakoda followed his eyes but merely laughed. He put a hand on Aang's shoulder and he jumped. "Don't worry, Katara already threatened me within an inch of my life if I asked you to touch any animal products. I was hoping that you would be willing to bless the ceremony and us for the new year and help with the wild parsnip. Let me explain how it will all work to you."

" _First, we feast, the bladders included."_

It seemed that every woman in the village came bearing a plate heaping with food. Katara and Kanna each held plates in either hand for Hakoda, Sokka, Pakku, and Aang. He saw Katara's eyes dart around looking for him nervously from the large entrance to the qasgiq. When it was his turn to go to the door and grab food, she whispered worriedly. "Are you okay? You can leave, I swear. I'll freeze anyone that gives you any trouble to the docks." She handed him the food, clearly something she had made especially for him as no one in the Southern Water Tribe ate tofu.

"I'm all good, promise," he grinned. "I love you for worrying, but I'll be okay."

She didn't seem convinced but she kissed him on the cheek and sent a glare towards Hakoda for good measure, though he didn't see it. Everyone sat around the qasgiq and began throwing bits of food at the bladders before eating it themselves. If Aang could detach himself from the bladders, he would have liked this part. After all, he and Gyatso loved food-related pranks. He tried to eat all the food quickly, without looking up.

" _Then, the dances begin. You won't have to do anything for that, don't worry."_

First, a young boy began dancing. He couldn't have been older than 12. He seemed very focused on the bladders themselves, rather than any of the people around him. As he danced, the rest of the men in the qasgiq began to sing. It wasn't in a language that Aang recognized, and it didn't have the same timbre as the chanting he was so used to. The timing, maybe the rhythm, seemed to change as the dance went on and Aang felt swept up in the sound of it.

Before long the boy sat back down, and other young men stood up, Sokka included. This dance was more intense than the first. The sitting men sang with more force, each syllable sung clearly and separately. The notes in the first song had been fairly close together, the singers only changing pitch by one or two notes. In this song, Aang was amazing to hear a wide range of notes from high to low. Sokka jumped with his feet together, and Aang soon came to realize that he was imitating the act of hunting. The song ended with a deep "ah ah tsee…" from the older members, and Sokka, breathing heavily, sat down.

" _Now this is where you come in. Last night, wild parsnip was gathered. We will light the stalks, and you will make sure the smoke hits every bladder. The smoke will help purify them before we return them to sea."_

Bato kneeled by the fire in the center of the room and held the stalks of parsnip over the fire until they caught. Aang, who was sitting cross-legged nearby, lifted his arms, and with them, the smoke rose. He swirled them around each of the bladders, ensuring each one was enveloped by smoke. Slowly, he felt energy enter the room, like dormant spirits moving for the first time after being asleep.

" _Then we need to release them to the sea. We'll bring the stalks and everyone will walk through the smoke. We can't wait too long to pierce them and put them in the water, or the spirits may get upset."_

_Aang nodded, thinking through each of the steps. "One question, though. Why bladders?"_

_Hakoda looked surprised for a moment but answered with a small smile. "We believe that the souls of the seals reside within the bladder. This way, we honor them for providing sustenance throughout the year, and then we release them back to the sea."_

Aang joined the procession behind Bato and the large, burning parsnip stalks. The bladders were all affixed to harpoons and transported by many of the people involved. Aang kicked up the smoke so that everyone walked through it as they made their way to the water.

Men began piercing the bladders, deflating them, and placing them in the water. Aang watched the bladders float away, and could feel the lightening of their spirits in his heart. Bato placed the parsnip stalks into the water, and they sunk below the surface.

* * *

Katara was walking to fill the pot in her room with water when Aang just about tackled her. "Katara!" he cried when he spotted her. He propelled himself towards her with airbending and pulled her so tight she dropped the pot. He launched them into the air for a big, dramatic spinning hug.

"Aang!" she laughed. "You made me drop the water! What has gotten into you?"

"Katara," he breathed as he pulled away and held her face in his hands. "It was beautiful, the ceremony. I couldn't believe it, and I couldn't believe how different I thought your culture was."

"Slow down!" she giggled, smiling big.

"This whole time, I understood that you ate meat here to survive, I totally get that, but I didn't think that the Water Tribe thought much about it. But now I see the way your people _honor_ the lives they take. Katara, I could _feel_ their spirits changing, becoming peaceful when they released them into the water. It was incredible!"

He picked her up into another spin and she felt snow fly up around them. "I love you, Katara. Thank you for letting me come here."

They made love that night for the first time in weeks. It had been incredibly slow and deliberate, both trying to be extra quiet for the sake of propriety, but they were also content to relish in each other's skin and vulnerable selves. Intimacy was now a spiritual experience with increasing regularity, and neither could recall a time where they felt more one. It was an intricate dance that they were learning together, discovering ways to lengthen and intensify their peaks of pleasure. Her soft whimpers floated around him with a dizzying effect. Everything was her, all his senses. Katara could have sworn she left her body and drifted towards the sky, Aang her only tether back to earth.

Slowly, as the days passed, Aang felt his discomfort around Hakoda diffuse, even if a small part of him was abashed that he'd now slept with his daughter under his roof, many, many times. Nonetheless, each had a new appreciation for the other: Aang seeing Hakoda's reverence for living beings, and Hakoda seeing Aang's reverence for Katara.

They continued to play pai sho at night, Aang letting Hakoda win every once in a while, and Hakoda got to know Aang better. He heard about Aang's upbringing at the Southern Air Temple, which surprised him on many levels. Aang described a childhood full of love and joy, not the cold one that Hakoda had imagined happened without parents or family units. He appreciated Aang's attitude towards his responsibility to the world as Avatar, much like Hakoda's own attitude when it had been time for him to become chieftain. He also saw the low current of pain and loss that he felt because of that position, a burden placed on his shoulders by fate itself at such a young age. He saw the ways Katara eased that burden, and how Aang seemed to pay her back with unlimited devotion.

No, he hadn't imagined Katara being with someone outside the tribe. But if it had to be someone, he was starting to feel thankful it was Aang.

One night, near the end of the trip, when Sokka had gone on a hunting trip, Kanna and Pakku went on a date, and Katara was at an old friend's place for girl's night, Hakoda decided to broach the final elephant in the room. He hated that Aang had heard his doubts about him the way he had.

Aang had just finished preparing tea for them both, a blend that Gyatso had given him before they left. While Hakoda chuckled at Aang's either ignorance of or disregard for Water Tribe gender norms when it came to the kitchen, the boy really had grown on him. Aang set out the cups and began pouring.

"Thank you, Aang," he said, peering into the cup in front of him.

Aang grinned before falling easily into full lotus.

Hakoda shook his head, smiling. "I still have no idea how you manage that. I'd never be able to walk again."

"All comes with practice," Aang replied, before planting two pieces to start the game.

"Aang? I think we should talk."

He eyed Hakoda nervously and sat up a little straighter. "About what?" Aang put his teacup down in front of him to give him his full attention.

"What you heard from Katara, before dinner the other day-"

Aang shook his head. "It's really okay, I really understand. You don't have to explain yourself to me, sir." He was trusting Katara.

"I want to," Hakoda asserted firmly. "You deserve to hear this straight from me. You're a good kid, Aang."

"Sir?" Aang was apprehensive but had also thought he'd really made progress with Hakoda over the previous two weeks. Even better, he felt closer to Katara than he'd ever felt to anyone in his entire life. Even just the thought of her made him smile like a lovesick teenager.

Hakoda seemed to be struggling with what to say. "I only want what is best for my daughter."

Aang clenched his jaw. Maybe he was wrong about the progress he'd made. Aang had never minded sharing his feelings without a filter. Perhaps he needed to be blunt with Hakoda. "I _love_ your daughter."

"I know… I know. You've made that obvious." Hakoda saw the confusion in Aang's eyes and hastened to explain. "The truth is, I always thought your feelings for Katara were a harmless crush. You were a bit of a troublemaker, last time you were here, with the pranks and flirting." Aang blushed and rubbed the back of his neck with a bashful smile. "I never expected… the bond you two share, it reminds me of me and Kya."

Aang didn't seem to know what to say, but Hakoda saw his eyes open wide.

"I only wanted to make sure that she's taken care of like any father would with _any_ boyfriend."

This… was way more than Aang could ever have expected or hoped for. Not only did Hakoda approve, but he seemed to actually support them. Aang knew that he and Kya had been a great couple and that Hakoda was deeply in love with her. To be compared to that? Aang felt his eyes water and laughed at himself, being pretty much the opposite of a Water Tribe man, and somehow, still earning Hakoda's respect. He blinked back the tears, but still found himself at a loss for words.

Hakoda looked at him sternly. "I expect you to treat her well. There's an entire tribe willing to kick your ass if we hear anything even resembling disrespect."

This relieved Aang of his tied tongue and he laughed. "I'd welcome it," he said, cringing at the thought of hurting Katara. He looked at Hakoda solemnly again. "I never blamed you for your hesitation. But I want you to know that as long as she'll have me, I'll do my best to make her happy."

Hakoda slowly smiled, seeing true sincerity in his eyes. "That's all I need to hear."

* * *

Katara waved goodbye to her family and tried to hold back her emotions from Appa's saddle. Every time she left, she felt a little more troubled. Gran was healthy, but she was getting older. Katara always worried that this time would be the last time she'd get to see her. Secretly, she said goodbye each time as if it _were_ the last. Inevitably, she felt hot tears begin to spill over her lashes. She fiddled with her necklace and breathed deeply. It usually helped calm her down.

Sokka, too, often felt emotional when they left, but he always put on a brave face, partly for his sister, and partly for himself. Aang glanced back at the Water Tribe siblings and knew they were both going through what he had leaving the Air Temple. He knew that they were also excited to get back to Ba Sing Se. The beginning of the semester was the best time of year, and they liked to enjoy it. But each time they did it, leaving home started feeling more and more permanent.

Once he had Appa at a good altitude, Aang airbent himself to the back of the saddle and next to Katara. Sokka didn't usually like to be bothered when he was like this. Katara had always appreciated support. He moved a hand through her hair as she sniffled. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head quickly. "I'm really tired of talking," she laughed dryly.

"Okay," he said and continued playing with her hair. He let his fingers graze the thin strap of her necklace and she shivered. "We'll be back though." He leaned back, letting her have the space she needed. "I'm already thinking… spring break? Or maybe right after finals?"

Katara smiled and looked back at him. "Yeah? You'd come?"

He nodded and ran his thumb under her eye to wipe away a remaining tear. "Of course. I love your family and your people. I'm so thankful you shared it all with me."

"I loved yours, too. Maybe we can spend half the summer there, half the summer at the South Pole," she said eagerly.

Aang stopped himself from wincing. He knew he needed to tell her about his summer with Guru Pathik in isolation. She just looked so happy. Everything in him was telling him not to avoid this conversation. He knew the longer it went on, the harder it would be. She had specifically asked him to talk to her about things. But looking at her smiling face, he just couldn't do it. This was different, he told himself. He just didn't want to upset her, it wasn't insecurity brain.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, maybe! That would be amazing, Katara."

Katara knew now that their relationship had more inherent challenges than she had ever thought of. Both had received pushback from members of their community at first, even if overall they were accepted. But they had both adjusted and learned. Aang went out of his comfort zone to understand Water Tribe culture more, and she had learned to be more mindful. In fact, she'd even been thinking about trying vegetarianism when they returned. She knew their relationship would have its difficulties, but she was determined to try.

Aang was feeling hopeful too. It felt like if they could get through the last few weeks of assassination attempts, family dramas, and politics, they could get through anything that would come up. He let his arm fall over her shoulders and Katara snuggled up to him. It didn't matter what they faced going forward - they left their homes with a renewed confidence in their relationship.

"Do you guys think I would look good with a beard?" Sokka said suddenly, pulling both of them out of their thoughts.

Katara slapped her forehead so hard he thought she'd need to heal it. "Spirits, no, Sokka, why are you even thinking about that right now?"

"Well, forgive me for wanting to improve myself, Katara!"

She huffed and an argument began. Aang smiled and leaned back against the saddle. Yeah, everything was falling back into place. Except now, things were even better. Now, he got to love Katara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank my beta for doing such extensive research on Inuit traditions. They provided all the materials around the bladder ceremony which made my job of writing all that much easier!


	21. Bent

Katara couldn't remember the last time she was this drunk. Literally. She didn't expect to remember much of this night either except in a blurred haze of flashing lights and Aang's touch leaving trails of fire along her skin.

The deep bass made her chest rumble and her heart felt funny, but good. She let her head fall back and breathed in the energy of the different lights around her. The hands around her waist, arrowed and calloused, helped her stay in this dimension. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs to the top of the club and let him pin her against the balcony. He kissed her roughly and his touch sent electricity across her skin. She leaned back so it felt like she'd fall and he giggled. "Don't you dare!"

"I know you wouldn't let me," she said and recaptured his lips in hers. She let her back arch against the bar of the balcony and he pressed hard against her. He started kissing her neck and her eyes unfocused to the flashing purples and reds around her. This was more PDA than they were accustomed to, but something about this club just felt so freeing that it made her want his hands all over her. She couldn't bring herself to care about how they looked, especially when there were college students who had just met doing the same thing all over the place. It was a Sunday, and every student in Ba Sing Se had gone out, as was tradition. The entire student population would be hungover for the first day of classes.

"Katara…" he whispered in her ear over the music, "I want you so bad." She felt a flame rip through her lower stomach and ran her thumbs over the point of his hips. He bucked imperceptibly at her touch and hummed in her ear. "Come on, let's go home,"

While she was very much looking forward to that, she knew the longer she dragged it out now, the more fun it would be later. She slipped out from his grasp and pulled him back towards the throng of people dancing below them. He growled in her ear but smiled. He spun her around and she flashed in his vision. It was like bad stop motion animation, the way she looked in the lights. Every time he blinked she was somewhere else in front of him, her eyes blown wide. He was overcome with the urge to laugh and couldn't stop, he just felt so good.

Someone grabbed him around the waist from behind and he only giggled. Luckily it was just Sokka. He lifted Aang in the air and yelled his name over the music. Aang pulled him into a hug and handed him the juul from his pocket. Sokka sucked in the mint-flavored air and smiled at the little kick it gave him. He handed it back to Aang who took a pull but mostly choked, much to Katara's entertainment. He tickled her in retaliation.

Suki danced into their little circle and snagged the juul out of Aang's hand. She took a quick puff before dancing back away from the circle. She returned to her place trying to convince Zuko to dance with her.

Aang could barely keep his hands to himself. Katara just looked… so squeezable all of a sudden. He wanted to smush her and kiss her all over. The alcohol diminishing any interest in sparing their friends the view, he pulled her back in and pushed his tongue in her mouth. She acquiesced smoothly, sliding hers against his and pressing their foreheads together.

Sokka rolled his eyes and downed his drink, leaning backward and letting himself stumble towards Suki. She was pulling on Zuko's hand and he was unhappily staring at her from his place at their booth. Sokka came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She nuzzled into him at his touch. Toph drank straight out of a bottle of champagne, which she had acquired earlier from a bottle girl. She raised her hand for another with a snap of her fingers.

Aang and Katara crashed onto the other side of the booth, stumbling into the low seats, giggling. Toph held up the bottle of champagne, but they both declined. Neither could stomach the idea of drinking out of bottles they hadn't bought and opened themselves anymore. Together, they drank their way through the better part of a fifth before Appa dropped them to SoulBent. Instead, Aang pulled out one of the many flasks he'd hidden in his robes and took a long swig before helping Katara take her own.

By the time a bottle girl arrived with a sparkler-filled bottle raised above her head, Aang's tongue was already back in Katara's mouth. Suki shoved them further in the booth so she could sit down, and Sokka followed, grabbing the champagne out of Toph's hands for a pull. Suki flicked the back of Aang's head until he pulled away from Katara, annoyed, and got everyone's attention for an announcement. "Alright, team. I have a little surprise in honor of the start of the semester tomorrow."

"It better be good," Katara grumbled, hating the separation of their lips.

Suki rolled her eyes and continued. "It will be." She held up a tiny packet filled with pink powder.

"No way," Zuko said, his eyes widening. "Where did you get that?"

"Get what?" Toph asked, pointing to her eyes.

"Zank!" Suki said triumphantly. "I stole it off of some FF guys at Ember Island, tried and tested, so you don't have to worry."

Toph cackled, "Let's do this."

"What?!" Katara looked at her friends. "How could you guys actually be considering this?" Aang looked similarly hesitant.

"You're such a wet blanket, Katara!" Sokka said. "I'm in, Zuko? Care to partake?"

Zuko shrugged, assenting. "Mai loves this stuff."

"I'm not a wet blanket!" Katara said, outraged and stumbling through her words.

Toph just smirked. Katara was just so easy to manipulate. "Then stop being such a goody-two-shoes all the time, Sugar Queen."

Suki took out a yuan and started carefully rolling it up.

Aang growled once again in Katara's ear, something he only seemed to do when he was totally wasted. "Don't listen to them, baby, I know you're a very bad girl when it counts."

Something about Aang saying this was incredibly funny to her. "Oh really, is that so?" she replied between laughs.

(TW: Drug. Use. It's a fictional drug, but I'm still sorry. They're idiots for doing it and I say that from experience. There is one paragraph with grief/cancer/depression/substance abuse themes. "As Katara looked...all aside.")

Opening the little bag, Suki poured about half of it onto the glass table in front of them. She grabbed Sokka's wallet out of his pocket and looked for his bank card. Sokka motioned to Zuko and they quickly traded places. Aang licked lightly just behind Katara's ear and she shivered. "You could show me right now..." he mumbled down her neck.

Suki flicked him again and he frowned, turning towards her. "Focus, you two. Who's up first?"

Zuko leaned back, smirking. "You should go first, Suki. It's only fair."

She laughed tipsily and used Sokka's card to divide out a small line. Katara watched, equally horrified and fascinated, as Suki dipped her head down and then whipped back up. Toph cheered and requested to be next.

"Is it bad I kind of want to try?" Katara whispered in Aang's ear.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You do?"

She nodded and he shrugged. Sokka was showing Toph in the palm of her hand how long and thick the line that Suki had prepared for her was. "It's not bad to be curious. Are you going to try it?"

Sokka helped guide Toph for her turn and she whooped at her success. Sokka quickly followed suit and got a wide look in his eyes like he was going to invest in the stock market again. She could practically see him crunching numbers before whipping open his phone to Robinhood. "Hear me out, Zuko - Gamestop."

Katara wasn't sure how to answer her boyfriend, and now, having overheard the question, Suki looked at Katara expectantly. Katara was thankful that her friends were neither pressuring her to join nor judging her nonparticipation. It was simply an offer.

As Katara looked at the fine, pink powder on the table, something flickered through her mind. It was far away, and like moving through honey, and she realized she was thinking about her mom. She saw her mom's face, Malina and her father kissing, all in a fraction of a second. A twinge of hurt flickered through her stomach, but she felt detached from it. Like she was watching it all through a cloud. Before her ears could ring too loudly, she forcefully pushed it all aside.

Katara snatched the rolled-up yuan from her brother and Zuko's jaw dropped. Suki apportioned a small line for her lightweight friend, eyeing her to gauge her level of intoxication.

"You sure?" Aang asked, one more time, just to check.

Katara nodded, and before she lost her nerve, leaned over the table.

(End TW)

When Katara's eyes opened, the room spun. Her entire body felt like a bruise. She swallowed hard and was disgusted at the taste. As she pulled herself up, she felt the sheet slip over her lower body. Lifting the covers, Katara groaned. She was completely naked.

Flustered, but laughing at herself, she slid out of the bed in search of her clothes. She found some of it flung in various parts of the room, but couldn't find the rest. At least she was in Aang's room, she thought and stifled a giggle. Quietly, she grabbed one of Aang's outfits and put them on. She turned around and nearly yelped. Aang was hanging off the bed headfirst, his back arched. Hooking her arms under his shoulders, trying once again not to laugh, she tried to hoist him back into the bed, but he was too heavy. He woke up confused but wrapped his arms around Katara upside down anyway. She stepped back and he placed his hands on the floor to flip himself backward. His hands instantly went to his neck.

"It's almost like sleeping on your head is bad for the neck…" He looked around, and down at himself, cringing. "Did we really not put our clothes back on?"

Katara couldn't hold back her mirth and laughed until her stomach hurt. Somehow finding herself in uncomfortable spots with a hangover was a thousand times more fun now that Aang was always the strange man in the bed.

He groaned and rubbed his face. "I love you, Katara, but you are such a mess right now."

Katara scoffed until she saw herself in the mirror. Her makeup was all over her face, her hair totally flat on one side, and sticking up on the other, and her necklace backward. She laughed all over again, hopelessly rubbing at the ring of eyeliner that had settled under her eyes. Classes started today, and she looked like a gremlin. Aang flipped on the shower and motioned for her to get in. Her stomach lurched and she shook her head. "I think if I get in the hot water I'll pass out or throw up."

He laughed. "You can't go downstairs looking like that or Sokka will never let you live it down." He motioned back toward his desk. "There's a bag of pretzels in the top drawer."

Katara sat down in his chair and began absentmindedly snacking on the pretzels. As she scrolled absentmindedly through her phone, she could feel the salt answering the need of her starving kidneys. After a few more pretzels and a few more sip of water, she felt the faint feeling go away and joined Aang in the shower. Immediately, she just laid her face on his chest and stood hunched, not wanting to move. "Somebody can't ha-ang," he teased, as he started running a washcloth down her smooth body, leaving a soapy trail in its wake.

"Never let me drink again, Aang," she said, turning and letting the water hit her in the face.

"I'm right there with you, sweetie," he replied, both knowing that they would be drinking again by Thursday. He lathered up her hair and tried running his fingers through it, but it was knotted all over. She whined and he focused on getting out the shampoo. "Come here, get some soap on your face, too."

Both Aang and Katara knew she didn't need to be babied like this, but he loved taking care of her because she took care of everyone else. In her hungover state, she happily accepted it. He scrubbed her face and the dried-out makeup washed down the drain. Aang rinsed the rest of the soap off them both and wrapped Katara in his fluffy yellow towel. "Good as new! Let's brush your hair."

Katara smiled lazily and kissed him on the nose. "I can do it. Thank you, sweetie." The shower had made her feel much better. She collapsed into Aang's sheets and hummed when he laid down next to her. He always smelled so good right after he showered.

Despite saying she would do it, he still started brushing through the ends of her wet hair. She loved him for that. "What time is it?"

He clicked open his phone before answering. "11."

"You're kidding," she looked up, horrified.

He shook his head, looking back down at the screen. "Okay you got me, it's 11:02," he said sarcastically.

"Tui's gills!" Katara wrestled with herself to get up with the towel on and ran out the door, leaving Aang confused in the bed.

Her first class of the semester was at 11:30. Katara was never late, and this was a professor she really wanted to impress. She tugged a brush through her long hair and briefly considered chopping it all together. While there was a nice outfit waiting for her, laid over her desk chair, Katara instead threw on her basic blue dress. When she looked up, Aang was at the door, smiling at her. "What is it, Aang? Kind of in the middle of something here."

"I thought you'd like a ride to class."

She paused, one leg in her leggings, and looked up at him. "Really?"

He laughed. "Yes, really. Relax, we'll get you to class on time."

She breathed out hard and got the rest of her clothing on. "I can't believe I'm late for class."

Aang gathered up Katara's laptop and put them in her bag. "You're not late to class yet, sweetie. Deep breaths."

It didn't matter, she was flustered. Aang took them on Appa in a pair of shorts and his traveling cloak. Katara tried to put on mascara and concealer in the air, but the wind kept whipping her hair in her face. He insisted she didn't need it, but the rings under her eyes told her otherwise. They landed in front of the biology building and Aang airbent them both down to the ground. "Have a good class, sweetie!" he said, giving her a kiss.

She barely answered, running into the building. He just laughed, until he noticed someone videotaping him. Really? He thought to himself and airbent himself up. He realized it looked up he was dropping off a one-night stand: the way Katara had run and his lack of clothing. He chuckled, wondering if he'd end up on BSSU Barstool later.

She made it in with a minute to spare, sweating. All the front row seats were taken and Katara unhappily slid into a second-row seat, her mind racing. As a rule, she liked to get to class 10 minutes before it began so she could lay out her pens and paper and maybe suck up to the professor a little. Mentally, she was chastising herself. Why had she gone so hard the night before? Everything she could remember was a fuzzy mess.

At the front of the room, the professor was talking to Viqak. Her eyes narrowed. She hated Viqak with every fiber of her being. He was an arrogant waterbender from the North Pole who was the only person in the healing cohort that could possibly challenge her skills. He had this superior, sexy smile that made her want to smack him. Girls loved him, and somehow that made him even more annoying to her. They were consistently at the top of their classes and often fought for the attention and praise of their professors, constantly undercutting and one-upping one another. When the professor moved back towards the podium to begin class, he winked at Katara. Winked! The nerve of him, she thought, but a part of her knew that he was already winning this round.

The class was called Advanced Healing in Clinical Practice. They were provided with case studies and had to figure out how to heal the patients and deal with their families and insurance as well. The professor was the most renowned healer in Ba Sing Se and didn't even hold office hours because of her busy schedule of clinical hours. Katara was determined to impress her.

Professor Nu began her spiel about the course, grading policies, etc, but it was the final thing she said that caught Katara's attention.

"And, the student with the highest grade will be awarded a summer fellowship with me. My students compete for this every year. Get this fellowship…" Professor Nu said, looking for the words, "and you'll be able to work anywhere you want after graduation."

Katara felt the energy in the room rise as fifty competitive, studious healers considered what that fellowship would look like on their resume and how much each of them wanted it. Her heartbeat picked up, though she wasn't entirely sure if that was just her hangover. She wanted this fellowship, and she'd be damned if Viqak got it.

Appa landed in the backyard and settled under the temporary shelter that Toph had created out of earth. Aang was planning on building something a little bit more homey for his companion that would allow the breeze to flow through it. He and Sokka had a trip scheduled to pick up some wood for the construction that weekend. Appa began munching on his breakfast of hay and cabbages. Momo leaped off the roof to join his big friend for breakfast.

When Aang returned to the house through the back door, he found Sokka asleep in a chair at the dining room table, surrounded by papers and markers. There was a mix of math, graphs, and images of rocket ships in space among the disarray. He inspected the charts and nonsense figures before kicking Sokka's chair. "Come on, buddy, we've got class."

Sokka groaned and stretched, looking at Aang. "Why are you naked?"

"I have pants on!" Aang defended, throwing his traveling cloak by the door. "Katara freaked because she woke up late for class. What is all this?"

Sokka gathered up the papers and shook his head vaguely. "I don't really know… You totally should've tried zank with us last night."

"You're right, I could've colored with you!" Aang said sarcastically as he poured some cereal. Taking a bite, he considered how to explain why he hadn't. One of the Air Nomad's basic tenets was avoiding mind-altering substances, but he still indulged in alcohol. And Katara, he thought with a snort. He was already pushing it by drinking at all. Somehow illegal substances seemed to cross a line that he was spiritually uncomfortable with, especially given his new reconnection to his faith. He wasn't sure if Sokka would totally understand the weak distinction in his mind. "No, but really, I'm trying to be a better Air Nomad. Cutting back on substances and all that."

"Oh, totally." Sokka didn't really know much about the Air Nomad's, but he respected his roommate's devotion to their ideals. He pulled out his phone and saw a weird slew of notifications. "Dude I think I blew hundreds of yuans on calls last night…"

Aang snorted. He certainly had. While they'd been able to limit his drunk investing after a few bad purchases in the past, Sokka on zank was a totally different animal. So was Katara, he thought with a pleasurable shudder, recalling why they had woken up the way they did. Before the rawness of their encounter could flood back into his system, he made an effort to engage Sokka. "What did you buy?"

"Looks like… AMC, Gamestop, some random energy and weed companies. But, I'm up? Wait, I'm up by a lot!" Sokka continued to scroll through his phone, shocked, and started eating a piece of fruit. Aang smiled.

Besides the awful crick in his neck, he felt really good. They made it back to Ba Sing Se a few days before the semester and were able to settle into the apartment. Even Momo had helped with the unpacking. Each day, he had watched Katara brighten back into her beautiful self after Malina-gate. He knew it still weighed on her mind, but he tried to ease that burden every day. And on the whole, he thought it was working.

His main focus, while they were there, had been Katara, but now that she seemed more settled, he turned more of his attention to Sokka. Only a few minutes after they landed, Suki had quietly asked Aang if Sokka had seemed alright to him. Overall, he had, but both knew that Sokka was good at repressing his feelings and moving past them without working through them. Though Katara was the more outwardly emotional sibling, Sokka hurt just as deeply. He and Suki often worked as a tag team in secret to give him the space to feel, away from bottling his emotions in an effort to stay strong for Katara.

It was because of this that Aang was not looking forward to telling Sokka about Jin He's impending arrival. He knew that Sokka liked his role as unofficial administrator and he didn't want to take it from him. At the same time, it had never been Sokka's job. Aang had just sort of… let him do it because that's the type of person Sokka was. He didn't want to further disrupt his sense of normalcy after Malina, but he didn't want to infantilize him either. Sokka hated when Aang tried to spare his feelings or otherwise leave him out of the process. "So I've been meaning to tell you some news but with everything going on, I haven't gotten the chance."

Sokka hummed in response, not looking up from his phone.

"They're sending me an assistant from the air temple," Aang said slowly, gauging Sokka's response.

This made Sokka look up from his phone, confused. "Wait, what?"

He cringed into his bowl of cereal. "With everything that happened last semester, the Council thought it would be best if they assigned me a formal assistant. It's actually going to be one of my friends, Jin He. He's around our age and coming next week."

"Oh," Sokka said, trying to hide his disappointment. "That totally makes sense."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Aang said, studying Sokka's face. He had quickly gotten rid of any trace of displeasure. "Are you okay? You're still obviously part of Team Avatar, now you just won't have to keep track of dumb letters or anything. You're still my best friend."

Sokka smirked. "More time for the ladies then."

Aang laughed, but he knew Sokka was upset. Sokka was determined to not show any disappointment at how things were changing. He'd just move forward, like always! Right? Right. He was the plan guy, after all. He'd have this figured out by lunch.

Toph's first day back was going really well. She only had one class for the day, Advanced Materials Engineering, and it was with a professor she already knew and liked quite a bit.

Her day got better when it turned out Satoru was also in the class. Back at Ember Island, she'd enjoyed spending time with him. They had a lot of similar interests, particularly academic ones. She liked the way he could excitedly talk about small details and the way he seemed to respect her earthbending.

She'd also discovered he was a good kisser, albeit a shy one. They had a great time on Ember Island, but things fell apart with the whirlwind events that came after. In fact, she recalled with a smirk, that she had kind of ghosted him. When she walked into the room, she felt his heart rate pick up. Toph counted herself lucky sometimes that she was in tune with people's vitals. It seemed like she was privy to more information than her sighted friends were that way. Given his reaction, she figured he was still interested.

She let herself plop into the seat next to him, pulling up the tabletop. "Hey."

He looked at her in shock. "Oh, uh, hi, Toph. It's been a while."

"After Ember Island, things got a bit busy," she agreed, taking out her laptop.

"I'm assuming everything is… settled? Given the lack of war, and all."

Toph laughed. "All settled."

They ended up getting dinner after class at her favorite spot, a hole-in-the-wall Earth Kingdom place run by a grumpy, graying proprietor. She could tell Satoru was nervous but excited to be there. After a few weeks on the Kyoshi Island diet, she was happy to be eating pork instead of fish. They made easy, amicable conversation over the course of a couple of hours and Toph enjoyed herself immensely. That was, until the matter of the bill came. The owner had sheepishly come to the table explaining that her card had been declined.

Declined?

"It's no problem, I can pay for us," Satoru had said kindly, truly not minding picking up the bill. He liked Toph and was happy to have reconnected with her after the break.

But Toph had never felt this mortified in her life. That wasn't a feeling she was used to. Her personality and general demeanor rarely put her in a position to feel embarrassed about anything. Immediately she knew what had happened. Her father had cut off her credit cards. When he said they wouldn't be supporting her financially anymore, he really meant it. While she had been planning on inviting Satoru back to the house, instead, she ended their date as quickly as she could.

As she walked through the busy evening streets, Toph realized that she had never really thought about money before. It had always just been a given that things were available to her via her credit card. Though she knew her parents were cutting her off, it didn't hit her until the moment her card no longer worked. She stopped dead in the street for a moment. I don't even have a bank account! she thought miserably. It would be easy to mooch off of Katara for food for a few days, but long term? Toph needed a plan, ASAP.

After Aang and Sokka got out of the class they had together, they had gone separate ways. Sokka said he needed to take care of some things at the frat house for rush, but Aang was eager to get home. He had enjoyed his first class and wanted to tell Katara about it, and wanted to hear about her classes too.

When he walked through the front door, Suki was lounging on the couch, Broad City on the TV. "Hey, Aang," she greeted, vaguely looking up. "How was class?"

"Really good, actually," he replied as he took off his shoes. "What about you?"

"Same old, same old. Katara's upstairs, by the way."

He smiled at the casual way she had said it. It was becoming normal for their friends to automatically tell him where she was instead of pretending like they didn't know he wanted to know. "Thanks. I actually wanted to talk to you about something, though."

This piqued her interest more and she stopped to pause the show. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he started, sitting on the arm of a couch. "I just told Sokka today that the monks assigned me an assistant."

Her eyes widened. "Oh. How did he take it?"

Aang smiled at her with a knowing look. "Totally fine. That's why I'm a little worried. Up for boba?"

She was already getting up. "Boba. Want to invite Katara?"

"Will do. Zuko?"

Suki shrugged. "I think he's at the Jasmine Dragon. Go get your girl and we'll leave."

Aang bounded up the steps and knocked on Katara's door. She called him in and he found her hunched over her desk, a textbook splayed in front of her. He slid his arms around her from behind and pressed his face in her neck. "Hi, sweetie," he mumbled into her throat. "How was your day?"

She merely grunted and he lifted his head in surprise. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Aang, I just have a lot of work." She needed to get ahead of these readings if she wanted to send thoughtful discussion questions to the professor.

"Ah," he frowned and squeezed her shoulders. "Take a boba break with me and Suki?"

She sighed and shifted to look back at him. "I'm sorry, I just have a lot of stuff to get through."

"On the first day of class!" He took her face in his hands and she melted into them. "My poor baby! If you don't want to come, can I bring you some back?"

She smiled sadly. "Yes, please."

"Alrighty, one boba coming up." He kissed her before releasing her face. "I love you and I want to hear all about your day later, okay?"

Aang and Suki walked down the street to a boba tea shop just a few blocks away. It had become their tradition when dealing with the Water Tribe siblings. As their freshman and sophomore year roommates, they commiserated and collaborated in equal measure to deal with their eccentricities. Suki knew all about Aang's feelings for Katara before Katara did, though he wouldn't admit it to her until after he'd already kissed her. He regretted not talking to Suki more about his feelings, worried that it would put her in an awkward position with Katara.

First on the docket was Toph. The time on Kyoshi seemed to have had a positive impact on Toph, Suki reported. The mute, humorless girl that had been left in the wake of her parents' betrayal disappeared by the time they returned to pick her and Suki up on the island, and she seemed to be her old self again. Suki explained that Toph had spent the break beating up Kyoshi Warriors and lounging by the water. It sounded much more restorative than their own excursion to the Southern Water Tribe, at least emotionally.

Aang recounted Katara's response to her father's relationship, though Suki had already heard a lot of it from both Sokka and Katara. What was new for Aang was hearing more about Sokka's reaction. While he had mentioned he was upset, Suki explained that Sokka had been much more than upset for a few days. He'd gone on a hunting expedition immediately after and came back his usual self. Aang also told Suki about Jin He through the chewy tapioca. They resolved to keep an eye on Sokka, and Suki said she'd bring it up with him in a few days if he didn't first.

Aang ordered boba for the entire apartment, even getting Momo some separate tapioca, and they walked back to the apartment. As they walked down the streets, Suki broached a final topic with him. "Do you think it was a little strange that Katara tried zank last night?"

He considered this for a moment, knowing he had a similar thought earlier in the day. Katara was her own person who could make her own decisions - he assumed he was just being overprotective by thinking it was… odd. As a whole, Katara was incredibly responsible. Even when she drank a lot, or when Tequila Katara made an appearance, she never went too far. She always kept herself reigned in, sticking only to alcohol, never mixing drinks, and always able to get herself home. But perhaps knowing Aang was there, that she wouldn't have any gross guys to deal with if all their friends got sidetracked, made her more open to trying new things. He just wasn't sure, and didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing.

"Maybe." He eyed her from the side. "Do you?"

Suki stopped short as a merchant's cart rumbled past them from a hidden alleyway. "Maybe."

They kept walking in silence for a moment. "We'll keep an eye on it, as usual."

She held her boba out to clink against his. "That we will."


End file.
